Ellsworth Kelly
American, 1923-2015
Red Yellow Blue White and Black II
INV-1571
Ellsworth Kelly
American, 1923-20151953
Red Yellow Blue White and Black II
Ellsworth Kelly American, 1923-2015 →contemporaryoil on canvaspainting
Date
1953
Medium
Oil on canvas; 7 joined panels
Dimensions
Each: 99.1 × 50.2 cm (39 × 19 3/4 in.); Overall: 99.1 × 351.2 cm (39 × 138 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of the Anstiss and Ronald Krueck Collection
Red Yellow Blue White and Black II is an early example of Kelly’s multipanel paintings. While living in Europe between 1948 and 1954, the artist encountered winged altarpieces in churches and cathedrals, which sparked his interest in works composed of separate pieces. He began arranging the colors of his paintings using chance techniques, removing himself from decisions that would influence the aesthetic of the finished artwork. Rather than use handmade marks in this piece, Kelly relied on intersecting edges and flat planes of monochrome color to express form.
Also notable
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