PROVENANCE:

Estate of Sam Francis

The most outstanding characteristic of Ting's art is his depiction of beautiful animals, flowers, and belles in nature using bright, lively, and vivid colors. His enchanting and magic world is a feast for the senses and invites the audience to share his passion and enthusiasm for nature.

In Paris, Walasse Ting befriended Pierre Alechinsky and Karel Appel of the CoBrA art group, and his painting style was deeply influenced by them. Soon he found that New York had replaced Paris as the gathering place for important painters. So he packed up and, at the peak moment of abstract expressionism in 1959, returned to New York, where he soon befriended Sam Francis, Tom Wesselmann, and Claes Oldenburg. They met frequently and held exhibitions together. Walasse Ting and Sam Francis became life-long friends.

"Red Horse" belonged to Sam Francis's estate. Ting inscribed "for Magaret Francis" on the reverse of the painting. Magaret Francis is the widow of Sam Francis. The healthy and bright red horse gallops joyously among the colorful flowers and the emerald sky. The whole painting is filled with life and energy, and the jumpy brush and the fresh colors make the work dynamic and vigorous. Ting once said "my paintings are like sugar, where colors are all transparent".