‘Leaping Frog’ explores one of John Olsen’s most iconic motifs: the frog. This fascination began in 1971 when he held a frog in the rainforest while filming a nature documentary. Cool and alive in his palm, he was struck by the creatures oddities – bulbous eyes, wet skin and the ability to spring away like coiled wire. Since then, Olsen has repeatedly paid tribute to the frog, imagining him in all his captivating forms.

In ‘Leaping Frog’, Olsen evokes but does not explicitly depict the leap of a frog. There is movement, birds look on and a tadpole surges towards a lilypad. In lingering at the fringes of abstraction, Olsen reminds us that all forms of life are interconnected – the pond, lake, landscape, frog and tadpole.

A genuine icon of Australian art, Olsen is represented across all public collections, contributing not only a distinct but a deeply contemplative perspective to our imagining of the landscape. This work is an archival pigment print on paper, hand-signed by the artist and exceptionally rare to market – a precious opportunity for collectors of the artist, iconic art or landscapes.

John OLSEN (1928 - 2023)
'Leaping Frog'
archival pigment print on paper
Image Size: 100 x 90 cm
Dimensions: 112 x 102 cm
Signed: Signed and editioned in margin: AP John Olsen
Comes with Letter of Provenance
Embossed with authenticity seal lower right. In addition to hand-signature, work is signed in plate lower left: John Olsen

Condition: Very Good: Describes a work of art's image as Excellent, but may show some small signs of surrounding wear to paper or frame. There are no tears to paper margin or disruption to the paint surface.

(c) John Olsen / Copyright Agency