Frank Sinatra
1915-1998 | American

Abstract with Blue on Red

Signed and dated "Sinatra '89"(lower right)
Oil on canvas

Easily one of the greatest American pop musicians of the 20th century, Frank Sinatra was both an iconic entertainer and an accomplished painter. A lover of art for his entire life, Sinatra became a collector of significance after his rise to fame, acquiring works by both modern and postmodern painters. Sinatra spent his free time creating colorful compositions inspired by modern art luminaries, looking to their bold aesthetics for guidance while creating his own original works with a unique point of view.

This bold composition uses the power of bold colors and geometric shapes to create a mesmerizing space. Sinatra masterfully renders the central blue square to give the work a sense of depth and movement, while the striking red background pulses with energy. Visually alluring and monumental in size, this composition combines the colorful geometry of Mondrian with the stark simplicity of Mark Rothko, resulting in an exciting and original work from the famed singer.

Born in 1915 to Italian immigrants in New Jersey, Frank Sinatra rose to fame in the early 1940s, singing first with the famed "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" Tommy Dorsey, and later striking out on his own as a solo artist. His career blossomed in the mid-1940s thanks to a series of successful, chart-topping singles when his baritone earned him the moniker "The Sultan of Swoon." He made his debut as an actor in 1943 with the film Reveille with Beverley, and in 1945, he won an Academy Award for the short film The House I Live In.

By the mid-1960s, Sinatra was an icon. He famously became the founding member of the "Rat Pack," an informal group of Las Vegas entertainers that also included Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and others. Sinatra briefly retired from his long-standing gig at Caesars Palace in the early 1970s, and it was during this period away from the stage when he painted the present work. He eventually returned and would continue to perform until 1995, when he played his last show at the age of 79. He died just three years later of a heart attack at the age of 82. Today, Sinatra memorabilia, particularly such personal objects as his paintings, are highly prized by both lovers of his music and lovers of fine art.

Dated 1989

Canvas: 46 3/4" high x 57" wide (118.75 x 144.78 cm)
Frame: 48 1/4" high x 58 1/4" wide x 1 5/8" deep (122.56 x 147.96 x 4.13 cm)

Literature:
A Man and His Art: Frank Sinatra, 1991, Random House: New York, p. 6 (illustrated)