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Franco Fontana
Untitled from Swimming Pool Series, C Print, Contemporary, 1983, #1/50

1983

About the Item

Swimming Pool Series, 1983 #1/50 Ektacolor print Italian photographer Franco Fontana is a pioneer of color photography, known for his abstract cityscapes, seascapes, and landscapes. Fontana embraced color film as early as the 1960s at a time when few fine art photographers ventured outside the conventions of black-and-white photography. His break with established styles and practices represents a significant shift in Italian postwar photography. In his images, Fontana often pares landscapes down to their essential elements, producing flat, geometric compositions —reminiscent of the color field paintings of Mark Rothko or Barnett Newman —by underexposing his transparencies. Contrasting blue skies with green or yellow grass and the rigid lines of buildings with the softness of puffy clouds, he makes color and texture his primary subjects. The Museo dell’Ara Pacis in Rome, Italy will showcase "Franco Fontana. Retrospective," December 13, 2024 through August 31, 2025 a comprehensive exhibition that celebrates Fontana’s career, which redefined color photography. Curated by Jean-Luc Monterosso, the exhibition offers a deep dive into Fontana’s pioneering approach to turning everyday landscapes into vivid works of art.
  • Creator:
    Franco Fontana (1933, Italian)
  • Creation Year:
    1983
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 13 in (33.02 cm)Width: 8.75 in (22.23 cm)
  • More Editions & Sizes:
    Edition of 50Price: $12,000
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Signature and number, Franco Fontana '83 , lower right has fading.
  • Gallery Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1977215123742