Helen Frankenthaler

Woodcut printed in colors, 1977, signed in pencil, dated, numbered 28/46, on buff Maniai Gampi handmade paper, with the blindstamp of the publisher, Tyler Graphics Ltd., Bedford Village, framed

The print is in good condition, the full sheet. A slight undulation to the sheet inherent to the paper. There are printer's creases visible in the pigment. The verso in good condition (inscribed in pencil '77-287' in the lower right hand corner).
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

“There was something magical between [Helen] Frankenthaler, [Ken] Tyler, and the season of the year that produced Essence Mulberry. Mulberries were ripe and abundant on a tree outside Tyler’s studio, and in color and transparency their juice was a perfect match for Frankenthaler’s sensibility at the time. She had recently seen an exhibition of fifteenth-century woodcuts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and their faded colors reminded her of the tone of the red mulberries. The recollection of the woodcuts and the immediacy of the ripe berries became the core of Essence Mulberry.” (Pegram Harris, Frankenthaler: A Catalogue Raisonné: Prints 1961-1994, New York, 1996, p. 233).