Untitled

Johnny Friedlaender (1912 – 1992, German/French) Untitled, limited-edition abstract color etching and aquatint, pencil-signed in the lower right and numbered 31/95 in the lower left. The 30 x 22.25-inch image is mounted on white board and encased in a light wood frame under glass measuring 33.5 x 26 inches. The work of art features two vertical columns containing geometric shapes in colors, including rust, blue, green, and mustard. They are connected by a white line in zig-zag form while the gritty background behind the shapes consists of rectangular planes in shades of black, brown, and beige.

Friedlaender is famously credited with pioneering aquatint etching and his compositions welcome viewers to react, interact, and interpret each image differently. After fleeing Nazi Germany in 1937, he spent most of his adult life in Paris. In addition to exhibiting his art internationally and illustrating books, he was also a teacher and passed on his mastery of the etching and aquatint medium to his students.