Zao Wou-Ki Untitled

Etching and Aquatint, 1971

Edition: 14/99

Publisher: Galerie de France (Paris)

Printer: Lacourière et Frélaut (Paris)

Catalogue Raisonné: [Agerup 214]

56.00 × 76.00 cm (sheet size)
42.50 × 57.70 cm (image size)

Hand-signed by the artist in pencil
Comes with a certificate of authenticity
Good condition

On Arches paper
Paper shows very slight yellowing

This work is held by our partner gallery in France. According to French standards, the condition is good, but the criteria for evaluating the condition of aged items may differ between France and Japan. Please consider purchasing only after acknowledging any signs of age (such as stains, discoloration, folds, wrinkles, or yellowing) as a vintage item. Please note that we have not personally inspected the physical item. The work is currently stored in France, and delivery after ordering will take over two weeks. Due to the nature of the work, returns after purchase cannot be accepted.

Artwork Description

This work beautifully condenses the characteristics of Zao Wou-Ki's print expression from the early 1970s. Dense ink spreads boldly across the foreground, layered with lighter, more溶け込むような (melting) colors behind it. This contrast between "dense" and "light" can be seen as the origin of the spatial expression that would become a significant feature in Zao Wou-Ki's later prints.

Olive green and vermilion overlap in a horizontal movement, creating an inner energy and sense of fluidity within the serene composition. The colors do not clash but rather blend as if breathing, forming a poetic world that abstractly evokes natural landscapes or atmospheric changes.

The soft gradations achieved through aquatint create delicate bleeds reminiscent of ink wash paintings or watercolors, beautifully merging an Eastern sense of void with Western abstract expression. Viewers are invited not to search for specific forms but to perceive the rhythm of color and space itself.

This piece is an important work showcasing the mature abstract world Zao Wou-Ki achieved in the 1970s, imbued with a unique spirituality where tranquility and dynamism coexist.