May 26 Backwards
1961
Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928-2011) printed by Robert Blackburn (American, 1920-2003) published by Universal Limited Art Editions (American, founded 1955)
United States
In 1961 Frankenthaler was only beginning to understand the finer points of printmaking. The most essential of these is that printing reverses the image set on the stone. The title of this print, May 26 Backwards, is a playful acknowledgement that while the artist wrote the numbers in mirror image to compensate for the printing process, she neglected to invert the digits. As a result, 26 appears as 62 in the final print.
Color lithograph from three stones on paper