Figure 0

The color lithograph, Figure 0, was created in 1969 through the collaborative efforts of Jasper Johns; Charles Ritt; Richard Wilke; James Webb; Daniel Freeman; and the renowned print workshop Gemini G.E.L. This significant American work demonstrates the increasing sophistication of printmaking techniques during the post-war era. Executed meticulously as a color lithograph on fine Arjomari wove paper, the technical precision achieved highlights the dynamic relationship between Johns, the conceptual artist, and the master printers at G.E.L.

Consistent with Johns’s established iconography from the 1960s, this piece explores the nature of representation and perception by isolating a fundamental numerical symbol. The use of the number zero, divorced from traditional arithmetic context, forces the viewer to consider the form as an abstract object rather than a function. The work's monochromatic structure and emphasis on the flatness of the picture plane place it squarely within the critical debates of American art during the period 1951 to 1975, bridging Pop sensibilities with Minimalist concerns regarding systematic repetition.

The collaborative structure of its production is also highly representative of this era, where major artists increasingly sought out professional printing studios like G.E.L. to achieve complex, layered effects in their editions. The quality of these prints ensured that the visual structure and chromatic choices intended by Johns were accurately conveyed across the edition.

The resulting piece is an iconic example of the print medium's capacity for conceptual depth. Classified as a Print, it is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it serves as a crucial document of late 20th-century American innovation. This important work, alongside many other masterworks in the collection, frequently contributes to scholarly understanding, making high-resolution images accessible through public domain initiatives.