Description
This lithograph is by Emerson Woelffer (1914-2003), a noted American abstract artist. The print is untitled, but it depicts a pair of lips, an image that Woellfer used in a number of works in the 1960s. Here are the details:
Lithograph in colors
22-1/2 x 18-1/4 inches (57.2 x 47.0 cm)
Ed. 42/60
Signed, dated (1968) Lower right
Numbered (42/60) lower left
Inscribed with the blindstamp of the printer and the publisher, lower left
Printed by Ernest DeSoto
Published by Collector's Press, San Francisco
The print is in very good never-framed condition with a faint tape stain on the reverse and a very, very faint crease in the lower left corner.
Self-styled "Abstract Surrealist" Emerson Woelffer was an influential teacher and practitioner of a distinct strand of Abstract Expressionism. Drawing influence from Laszlo Moholy-Nagy (for whom he worked for seven years), Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, and Roberto Matta (who encouraged his use of free association), Woelffer developed an abstract style characterized by saturated colors and bold, jagged forms that hinted at symbolism and figuration. "I always work first and think later," he said. "There is no idea to begin with. I just start and it works or it doesn't. It's not about anything like a tree or an apple. " Woelffer taught at several major American art schools, including a stint at Black Mountain College at the invitation of architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller. "He was an American original, a tender tough guy who turned a lot of people on to the beauty of abstract painting," said Ed Ruscha, a one-time student of Woelffer who also curated a posthumous retrospective for him in 2003. Source: Artsy
Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: The print is in very good never-framed condition with a faint tape stain on the reverse and a very, very faint crease in the lower left corner.
Origin:
United States
Materials & Techniques:
Lithograph
Details:
Frame Type: Unframed
Country of Origin: United States
What type of item is it? Vintage / Antique / Used
Art Subjects: Other
Lithograph in colors
22-1/2 x 18-1/4 inches (57.2 x 47.0 cm)
Ed. 42/60
Signed, dated (1968) Lower right
Numbered (42/60) lower left
Inscribed with the blindstamp of the printer and the publisher, lower left
Printed by Ernest DeSoto
Published by Collector's Press, San Francisco
The print is in very good never-framed condition with a faint tape stain on the reverse and a very, very faint crease in the lower left corner.
Self-styled "Abstract Surrealist" Emerson Woelffer was an influential teacher and practitioner of a distinct strand of Abstract Expressionism. Drawing influence from Laszlo Moholy-Nagy (for whom he worked for seven years), Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, and Roberto Matta (who encouraged his use of free association), Woelffer developed an abstract style characterized by saturated colors and bold, jagged forms that hinted at symbolism and figuration. "I always work first and think later," he said. "There is no idea to begin with. I just start and it works or it doesn't. It's not about anything like a tree or an apple. " Woelffer taught at several major American art schools, including a stint at Black Mountain College at the invitation of architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller. "He was an American original, a tender tough guy who turned a lot of people on to the beauty of abstract painting," said Ed Ruscha, a one-time student of Woelffer who also curated a posthumous retrospective for him in 2003. Source: Artsy
Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: The print is in very good never-framed condition with a faint tape stain on the reverse and a very, very faint crease in the lower left corner.
Origin:
United States
Materials & Techniques:
Lithograph
Details:
Frame Type: Unframed
Country of Origin: United States
What type of item is it? Vintage / Antique / Used
Art Subjects: Other
Condition
Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; The print is in very good never-framed condition with a faint tape stain on the reverse and a very, very faint crease in the lower left corner.
Buyer's Premium
20%
Dimensions
22.5 x 18.25 x 0.1 in
1960s Emerson Woelffer Abstract Lithograph
Estimate $1,300-$2,550
Starting Price
$650
2 bidders are watching this item
LiveAuctioneers Purchase Protection
Vetted auction houses
Secure, online bidding
Returns guaranteed for misrepresented listings
Dedicated support when you need it
Autumn Furniture Edit: Mid-Century & Vintage
Sep 23, 2026, 4:00 PM EDTNew York, NY, United States
TOP


























![1906 ❧ Doves Press Emerson. [DOVES PRESS]. EMERSON, RALPH WALDO. Essays by Ralph Waldo Em...: 1906 ❧ Doves Press Emerson. [DOVES PRESS]. EMERSON, RALPH WALDO. Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson, With Preface by Thomas Carlyle. Hammersmith: The Doves Press, 1906. Small 4to (235 x 166 mm). Pri](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/1043/408275/241634215_1_x.jpg?height=181&quality=70&sharpen=true&version=1790597456&width=181)






