Dazzling mid century modern (1952) mixed media silkscreen and gouache by Hans Hofmann - one of the most influential artists of the 20th Century. The gouache additions are done by hand, making each work in this series absolutely unique. A superb impression of this extremely scarce, early print with strong colors.
According to Reba and Dave Williams (Reba and Dave Williams, American Screenprints, New York, 1987, page 32), Hofmann was persuaded to make this print by Esther Gentle (who later married Abraham Rattner), his student at the time, who was starting to publish screenprints reproducing well-known artists' paintings. Unlike other screenprints by Abstract Expressionist artists, Hofmann's is an original work which does not reproduce a painting.
An unusual feature of Composition in Blue is that the blue background varies; the artist authorized different color mixtures and strengths for each example in the printing of this particular silkscreen (Williams, page 32).