Dan Flavin – Henriette reading

Henriette reading (1975) is a rare and intimate drypoint etching by Dan Flavin — an artist known almost exclusively for his monumental fluorescent light installations, yet one who maintained a quiet, largely private practice in drawing and printmaking throughout his career.

A tiny cluster of delicate lines — a bowed head, falling hair, the suggestion of a face lost in concentration — is printed onto a comparatively large sheet of wove paper, the plate mark visible as a soft grey rectangle at the centre. The contrast between the small, concentrated image and the surrounding expanse of paper gives the work a meditative stillness that feels entirely at odds with — and yet somehow continuous with — Flavin's light-based practice.

Issued in an edition of only 10 plus 2 artist's proofs and hand-signed, and titled in pencil, this print is among the most personal and least-known dimensions of Flavin's work.

Dan Flavin, born in 1933 in New York and passing in 1996, is celebrated as a pioneering force in light art and minimalism, movements that sought to distill art to its purest form. His iconic light installations, made with commercial fluorescent bulbs, marked a turning point in post-war American art. By assembling these lights into geometric configurations, Flavin explored the interplay between electric light, color, and architectural space, transforming environments into immersive, immaterial experiences that redefined the limits of sculpture and painting.

Flavin’s commitment to minimalism was evident in his use of simple, industrial materials, aligning his practice with contemporaries such as Donald Judd and Sol LeWitt. After 1963, his works consisted almost exclusively of fluorescent light installations, employing a fixed range of ten colors and five shapes. This self-imposed discipline distinguished his art from conventional forms, elevating utilitarian materials into contemplative experiences of space, perception, and light.

Though best known for his luminous sculptures, Flavin also extended his minimalist philosophy into printmaking. His prints feature geometric precision and restrained color, mirroring the structural and conceptual clarity of his installations. Through this medium, Flavin explored the tangible qualities of line and form, creating a thoughtful counterpoint to the ephemeral brilliance of his light-based works.