Figure 4

Figure 4 is a pivotal color lithograph on Arjomari wove paper created in 1969 by Jasper Johns, in technical collaboration with master printers Charles Ritt, Richard Wilke, John Dill, James Webb, and the celebrated workshop Gemini G.E.L. (G.E.L.). This significant American work falls squarely within the 1951 to 1975 period, marking a crucial moment when Post-War artists fully embraced and redefined the potential of fine art prints.

The subject matter, the solitary numeral '4', is instantly recognizable yet profoundly complicated by Johns’s signature application of rich, variegated marks. He uses the common structure of the number not as a literal sign, but as a rigid scaffolding upon which he explores the fluidity and tension of the lithographic medium. The execution as a color lithograph on high-quality wove paper required meticulous planning and collaboration between Johns and the technical staff, showcasing the advanced demands of creating complex, multi-layered prints during this era. The result is a piece where structure and surface compete for the viewer’s attention, a hallmark of Johns’s practice during the latter half of the 1960s.

The print bears the stamp of Gemini G.E.L., the legendary Los Angeles workshop that facilitated many of the most important innovations in American printmaking. G.E.L. provided Johns with the technical environment necessary to translate the complexity of his paintings and drawings into limited edition prints, elevating the status of the medium from mere reproduction to original art. This commitment to technical excellence solidified Johns's standing as a foundational figure in Post-War American art. This work, a prime example of the successful G.E.L. collaboration model, is maintained in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, providing a valuable reference for scholars studying American prints from this critical period. Materials related to major cultural artifacts such as this are often made available to the public domain through institutional initiatives, promoting wide accessibility for study.