Description:

THEODOROS STAMOS (GREEK-AMERICAN 1922-1997)
Infinity Field , Lefkada Series , 1980
acrylic on paper
76 x 56 cm (30 x 22 in.)
framed dimensions: 93 x 73 cm (36 5/8 x 28 3/4 in.)
signed, dated and titled on verso

PROVENANCE
Dorsky Galleries, New York (label on verso)
Private Collection, Ridgefield, Connecticut

LOT NOTES
Infinity Field, Lefkada Series, 1980, serves as a profound meditation on the spiritual resonance of the Greek landscape, a central theme that defined the latter half of Theodoros Stamos’s career. By 1980, Stamos had moved away from the biomorphic surrealism of his early years, distilling his visual language into expansive, ethereal planes of color. This piece captures the unique atmospheric light of Lefkada, the island of his ancestry, where the artist spent much of his time later in life. Through a sophisticated layering of pigments, Stamos creates a vibrating depth that suggests a portal into a boundless, transcendental space, echoing his lifelong quest to capture the inner light of the natural world.

In this composition, Stamos utilizes a characteristic vertical orientation that anchors the viewer while simultaneously offering an escape into the infinite. The canvas is divided by soft, gestural boundaries that separate veils of muted purples, deep charcoals, and earthy ochres. These divisions are not rigid barriers but rather rhythmic transitions that evoke the hazy horizon lines where the Ionian sea meets the sky. The lower register features delicate, calligraphic markings—a hallmark of the Lefkada series—which function as ancient, enigmatic scripts or fossils embedded within the landscape, bridging the gap between contemporary abstraction and timeless antiquity.

The technical execution of this 1980 work demonstrates Stamos’s mastery of the color field as a vessel for emotional and sensory experience. The surface is treated with a dry-brush technique and thin glazes that allow underlying tones to bleed through, creating a luminous, pulsating effect. By stripping away representational detail, Stamos invites a meditative state, forcing a confrontation with the elemental forces of light, shadow, and color. Infinity Field, Lefkada Series stands as a testament to the artist’s enduring legacy as a poet of the canvas, capturing the silent, monumental power of a landscape that was both a physical home and a spiritual sanctuary.

Keywords: First-Generation Abstract Expressionist, Irascibles, New York School, Infinity Field Series, Color Field Painting

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