Ghost I (Red)

Created in 1991, Ghost I (Red) is a vibrant example of Terry Frost’s mature printmaking, combining etching and aquatint with extensive hand-colouring to create a work of exceptional richness and individuality.

The composition is dominated by an intense field of red, encircled by sweeping black, blue and green forms and punctuated by energetic linear marks. Frost’s characteristic combination of bold colour and rhythmic movement gives the image an immediate visual presence, while the extensive hand-working of the surface brings the print particularly close to the spontaneity of an original work on paper.

Printed by the Print Centre in London and published by the artist from Newlyn, this impression is signed and dated 1991 in pencil and numbered 3/25 H/P. The small proof edition and extensive hand-colouring make each impression notably individual.

Ghost I (Red) reflects Frost’s lifelong fascination with colour, movement and the Cornish landscape, translated into the distinctive abstract vocabulary that established him as one of the leading figures of post-war British art.

Research & Institutional References

Historical Context

Created during Frost’s mature Newlyn period, Ghost I (Red) demonstrates the renewed energy and confidence of his later work. During these years, printmaking became an increasingly important part of his practice, allowing him to explore his established language of vivid colour, curved forms and dynamic abstract rhythms through a wide variety of techniques.

Public Collections

Works by Terry Frost are held in major public collections including Tate, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.