Josef Albers – Midnight + Noon I, 1964 – Lithograph

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Color lithograph on Arches paper - Unique Trial Proof - Signed, titled, dated and inscribed "Trial Proof" in pencil, lower margin.

Josef Albers's Midnight + Noon I (1964) is a minimalist lithograph that exemplifies his exploration of color interaction and geometric abstraction. This unique trial proof, printed on Arches paper, features a composition of nested squares in various shades of black and gray, creating a subtle gradient effect. The artwork's focus on tonal variation highlights Albers's interest in the perception of color and light, as well as the illusion of depth and spatial relationships. The precise arrangement of squares invites viewers to engage with the nuances of shadow and contrast, embodying Albers's disciplined, methodical approach to abstraction. The print is signed, titled, dated, and inscribed as a Trial Proof in pencil along the lower margin, adding to its uniqueness and collectible value.

Josef Albers (Germany/USA, 1888–1976) was a groundbreaking artist, designer, and educator central to the Bauhaus movement and modern art. Known for his Homage to the Square series, he explored color theory and perception. Albers’ teachings and writings, like Interaction of Color, have profoundly influenced contemporary art and design education.

Josef Albers

Midnight + Noon I, 1964

Form

Limited Edition Print

Limited Edition PrintA limited edition print is one of a number of prints made at the same time from one printmaking plate. A fixed number are made and signed by the artist, indicating the printing order, using the format 1/10, meaning first of ten prints.

Medium

Lithograph

LithographLithography is a printing method based on the principle that water and oil do not mix. It can be used to print artwork or text onto paper or other suitable materials. Traditionally, an image was drawn with wax, fat, or oil onto a lithographic limestone surface or plate. Today, metal plates and other surfaces are also used in lithographic printing.

Edition

Unique work

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Limited Edition Print

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Abstraction is real, probably more real than nature.
- Josef Albers

Often cited as one of the founders of minimalist and conceptual art, Josef Albers is widely acclaimed for his theoretical teachings on art and his interplay between shape and colour. Among his most recognised works, Homage to the Square is a series which spanned across the 50’s and the 60’s, and features a range of rigid, geometric productions applied to canvas, all of which were offset by whichever colour palette he had chosen to adopt – the combination of the geometry and colour creates various optical effects, for which Albers has become renowned. Albers has stated ‘abstraction is real, probably more real than nature’ - his work is an attempt to portray this philosophy, and he challenges the viewer to analyse their own perspective with each piece; Structural Constellations is perhaps is most celebrated work of this kind, a subtle piece composed of simple lines that combine to create illusory forms. (Artist website)

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Josef Albers

Midnight + Noon I, 1964

40 x 40 cm

Language & Currency

Josef Albers