Mid-Century Modern Experimental Abstract Lithograph in Neutral Tones 1960s

A refined abstract lithograph pencil signed, Rhuls, titled Tapa I, created during the mid-20th century when material-driven abstraction and experimental printmaking were at their height. The composition features layered vertical planes rendered in soft tonal grays, warm neutrals, and subtle earth hues, punctuated by small geometric and organic forms that evoke both architectural structure and natural texture.
The title Tapa I references traditional tapa cloth, a handmade bark textile from the Pacific Islands, and the work reflects this influence through its tactile surface, stratified forms, and weathered visual rhythm. The artist’s use of translucency and abrasion gives the print a sculptural, almost relief-like quality, characteristic of postwar American printmaking concerned with materiality and process.
Signed in pencil by the artist and numbered 16/60, this work exemplifies the era’s cross-cultural and experimental approach to abstraction. The restrained palette and meditative composition make it a strong example of mid-century modern print aesthetics, well suited for collectors of postwar, minimalist, and texture-driven works on paper.