Big Red 1953

Sam Francis created this large abstract painting called ‘Big Red,’ though it is undated, it is made with oil on canvas. The color red has been loaded with meaning across millennia. We see it in prehistoric cave paintings, in the robes of emperors, and the flags of revolutionaries. It speaks of life, death, passion, and power. Look at the way Francis has applied the paint: blotches and pools, not unlike blood spatter or the petals of a wilting rose. The use of red connects us to a primal, subconscious level. It is a color that commands attention, stirring emotions and memories. Consider, for example, how Renaissance painters used red to depict the robes of Christ or the flames of hell. The emotional weight of ‘Big Red’ lies not only in the color itself but also in its application, its density, and the way it bleeds into the canvas. These patterns of red shift and evolve, proving the persistence of symbols that continue to resonate with us today.