Sol LeWitt Eight Cubic Rectangles (Diptych) Large 69 Inch 1995 Etching and Aquatint Signed Edition of 50

Artist: Sol LeWitt
Title: Eight Cubic Rectangles (Diptych)
Medium: Etching and Aquatint in Colors on Two Sheets of Somerset Paper
Sheet Size: 69" x 23"
Frame Size: 74.5" x 28" x 1.75"
Year: 1995
Edition: 8/50
Publisher: Pace Editions Inc, New York
Inscription: Signed and numbered in pencil on front lower right
Documentation: Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

"Eight Cubic Rectangles" (Diptych) (1995) exemplifies Sol LeWitt's rigorous exploration of geometric form, seriality, and systems-based composition. The work presents a sequence of rectilinear volumes articulated through precise linework and carefully modulated fields of color. Arranged across two vertically oriented sheets, the composition unfolds rhythmically, encouraging the viewer to read the work both sequentially and as a unified whole. The restrained palette and disciplined structure reflect LeWitt's enduring commitment to clarity, logic, and the primacy of conceptual order over expressive gesture.

The diptych format is a particularly notable aspect of this work. While LeWitt is widely known for single-sheet prints, wall drawings, and modular structures, multi-panel works of this scale are comparatively rare within his graphic oeuvre. Here, the paired sheets introduce a spatial dialogue between panels, extending LeWitt's interest in repetition and variation across a broader physical field. The verticality and cumulative width of the diptych amplify the work's architectural presence, reinforcing the artist's long-standing engagement with how abstract systems occupy and activate space.

LeWitt's printmaking practice was central to his career and closely aligned with his conceptual framework. Etching and aquatint allowed for precise execution of predetermined structures while introducing subtle tonal variation through color. In "Eight Cubic Rectangles", these techniques support the work's intellectual rigor while lending visual depth and material presence to the otherwise austere geometry.

Executed in 1995, this color etching and aquatint is printed on two sheets of Somerset paper and issued in an edition of 50, of which this example is number 8. The work measures 69 × 23 inches total, with framed dimensions of 74.5 × 28 × 1.75 inches, resulting in an imposing scale. The work was published by Pace Editions Inc, New York, and is signed and numbered in pencil on the lower right of the front. It is accompanied by a Gallery Certificate of Authenticity, documenting its provenance and edition status.

About Sol LeWitt

Sol LeWitt (1928–2007) was an American artist whose work was foundational to the development of Conceptual Art and Minimalism in the second half of the twentieth century. Renowned for his wall drawings, structures, and works on paper, LeWitt fundamentally redefined the role of the artist by prioritizing ideas and systems over traditional notions of authorship, craft, and aesthetic expression.

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, LeWitt studied at Syracuse University before serving in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Japan and Korea. After relocating to New York in the 1950s, he became closely associated with a circle of artists and intellectuals engaged in redefining modern art. His early experiences working as a graphic designer and as a night clerk at the Museum of Modern Art exposed him to contemporary artistic debates that would shape his thinking. By the early 1960s, LeWitt emerged as a leading voice in Minimalism, producing modular, geometric structures that emphasized seriality, repetition, and objective form.

LeWitt is best known for his wall drawings, first conceived in 1968, which consist of written instructions executed directly on walls by draftsmen or installers. These works challenged traditional definitions of originality and permanence, asserting that the concept itself constituted the artwork, while its physical realization could vary over time and place. This approach was articulated in his influential 1967 essay Paragraphs on Conceptual Art, in which he argued that the idea is “the machine that makes the art.”

In addition to wall drawings and structures, Sol LeWitt produced an extensive body of prints, drawings, and artist's books, often employing systematic variations of lines, shapes, and colors. His printmaking practice—encompassing lithography, etching, woodcut, and screenprint—played a crucial role in disseminating his ideas and expanding the accessibility of his work.

LeWitt's art has been exhibited extensively worldwide and is held in major museum collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate, and the Centre Pompidou. Through his rigorous conceptual framework and rejection of subjective expression, Sol LeWitt remains one of the most influential figures in contemporary art history, whose legacy continues to shape discussions of authorship, process, and the primacy of ideas in art.