Variant/Adobe - Josef Albers
Archival giclée
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Description
A study in geometric abstraction and colour theory, this piece from the Variant/Adobe series explores the interaction of light and form.
The Variant/Adobe series represents a significant period in the career of Josef Albers, following his relocation to the United States. These works emerged from his observations of Mexican architecture, specifically the earthen structures found in the region. Albers sought to capture the interplay of light and shadow on these surfaces through the application of flat, geometric colour fields.
In this composition, the viewer encounters a series of nested rectangles. The arrangement suggests an architectural opening or a doorway, yet the forms remain strictly non-representational. Albers utilised a precise, methodical approach to paint application, often leaving the edges of his colour blocks slightly visible to reveal the underlying structure of the work. The palette is carefully selected to explore the phenomenon of colour interaction, where adjacent hues shift in perception based on their proximity to one another.
Unlike his later Homage to the Square series, which utilised a rigid, repetitive format, the Variant/Adobe works allow for greater variation in the proportions and placement of the internal rectangles. This flexibility creates a sense of spatial depth despite the two-dimensional nature of the medium. The work functions as a study in perception, inviting the viewer to consider how colour relationships alter the appearance of form and space. By stripping away narrative elements, Albers directs attention to the physical properties of the paint and the psychological impact of chromatic contrast. This print captures the subtle nuances of the original surface, maintaining the integrity of the artist's exploration into the mechanics of human vision.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Variant/Adobe - Josef Albers
Artist Biography
Josef Albers
He was born in 1888 in Bottrop, Westphalia, into a Roman Catholic craftsman's family. He worked as a schoolteacher for five years before deciding to study art, joining the Bauhaus as a student in 1920 and becoming a faculty member by 1922. He married Anni Fleischmann, a Bauhaus textile student, in 1925.
At Black Mountain, his students included Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, Ruth Asawa, and Ray Johnson. He left in 1950 to head the Department of Design at Yale, where he taught until retirement in 1958. The teaching produced Interaction of Color (1963), a text arguing that colour can only be understood in context, never in isolation. It remains a standard reference.
The Homage to the Square series occupied the rest of his life: nested squares of colour, painted obsessively, with every pigment and proportion meticulously recorded. The paintings look simple. The colour relationships within them are not. He died in 1976.
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