Guido Molinari
(Canadian, 1933–2004)
Untitled
1958/1980
Colour lithograph on handmade paper
Signed, dated "1958/80", and numbered "13/20" in pen and ink
Frame: 43.5 × 54 in. (110.5 × 137.2 cm)
Conceived in 1958 and published in a highly exclusive edition of 20 in 1980, Untitled is a monumental graphic work capturing a rare, gestural chapter in Guido Molinari’s early career. The composition centers on a sweeping, energetic calligraphic form rendered in a striking ultramarine blue against a pristine handmade paper ground. The dual dating (1958/80) bridges two pivotal moments in Molinari’s trajectory: his late-1950s explorations into expressive, tachiste line work and 1980, the year he received Quebec's highest artistic honor, the Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas. Framed at an impressive 43.5 × 54 inches, this work offers museum-scale impact for an editioned piece.
While Molinari is world-famous for his hard-edge vertical stripe paintings, his 1958 calligraphic works represent a vital transitional bridge in Canadian abstract art. Inspired by Jackson Pollock, Surrealist automatic drawing, and Eastern calligraphy, Molinari used bold, sweeping brushstrokes to disrupt traditional spatial depth and engage the viewer directly. Printed on heavy, textured handmade paper in a small run of only 20 impressions, this work highlights the poetic, expressive side of one of Canada's most rigorous abstract theorists.
Born in Montreal, Guido Molinari was a giant of 20th-century Canadian modernism and a primary force behind the Les Plasticiens movement. He gained international acclaim for his radical investigations into color theory, perception, and non-figurative space. In 1968, Molinari represented Canada at the 34th Venice Biennale, where he was awarded the prestigious David E. Bright Foundation prize. Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999, Molinari's influence as a painter, theorist, and educator remains foundational to Canadian art history.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Winner, Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas (1980)
Appointed Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C., 1999)
Recipient, David E. Bright Foundation Prize, Venice Biennale (1968)
Representative for Canada at the 34th Venice Biennale (1968)
Recipient, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (1967)
Co-Founder, Galerie L'Actuelle, Montreal (1955)
Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.)
Selected Permanent Collections:
The Museum of Modern Art / MoMA (New York, NY)
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, NY)
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal / MACM (Montreal, QC)
Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal / MMFA (Montreal, QC)
Art Gallery of Ontario / AGO (Toronto, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Fondation Guido Molinari (Montreal, QC)
Guido Molinari
(Canadian, 1933–2004)
Untitled
1958/1980
Colour lithograph on handmade paper
Signed, dated "1958/80", and numbered "13/20" in pen and ink
Frame: 43.5 × 54 in. (110.5 × 137.2 cm)
Conceived in 1958 and published in a highly exclusive edition of 20 in 1980, Untitled is a monumental graphic work capturing a rare, gestural chapter in Guido Molinari’s early career. The composition centers on a sweeping, energetic calligraphic form rendered in a striking ultramarine blue against a pristine handmade paper ground. The dual dating (1958/80) bridges two pivotal moments in Molinari’s trajectory: his late-1950s explorations into expressive, tachiste line work and 1980, the year he received Quebec's highest artistic honor, the Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas. Framed at an impressive 43.5 × 54 inches, this work offers museum-scale impact for an editioned piece.
While Molinari is world-famous for his hard-edge vertical stripe paintings, his 1958 calligraphic works represent a vital transitional bridge in Canadian abstract art. Inspired by Jackson Pollock, Surrealist automatic drawing, and Eastern calligraphy, Molinari used bold, sweeping brushstrokes to disrupt traditional spatial depth and engage the viewer directly. Printed on heavy, textured handmade paper in a small run of only 20 impressions, this work highlights the poetic, expressive side of one of Canada's most rigorous abstract theorists.
Born in Montreal, Guido Molinari was a giant of 20th-century Canadian modernism and a primary force behind the Les Plasticiens movement. He gained international acclaim for his radical investigations into color theory, perception, and non-figurative space. In 1968, Molinari represented Canada at the 34th Venice Biennale, where he was awarded the prestigious David E. Bright Foundation prize. Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999, Molinari's influence as a painter, theorist, and educator remains foundational to Canadian art history.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Winner, Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas (1980)
Appointed Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C., 1999)
Recipient, David E. Bright Foundation Prize, Venice Biennale (1968)
Representative for Canada at the 34th Venice Biennale (1968)
Recipient, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (1967)
Co-Founder, Galerie L'Actuelle, Montreal (1955)
Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.)
Selected Permanent Collections:
The Museum of Modern Art / MoMA (New York, NY)
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, NY)
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal / MACM (Montreal, QC)
Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal / MMFA (Montreal, QC)
Art Gallery of Ontario / AGO (Toronto, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Fondation Guido Molinari (Montreal, QC)
