“Blue Column,” created by Morris Louis in 1960, is an exemplary piece of Color Field Painting created with acrylic on canvas. Standing within the “Column” series, this abstract artwork measures 203.2 x 55.8 cm and resides in the Philips Collection, Washington, DC, US.
The artwork showcases a vertical, monochromatic composition dominated by various shades of blue. The central column spans the length of the canvas, gently shifting in hue and saturation along its vertical axis. This ethereal transition from one shade to another creates a visual depth, seemingly floating against a minimal and pure background. Morris Louis’s mastery of color and form is evident through the smooth gradient and the simplicity of the piece, embodying the essence of the Color Field Painting movement where the focus is on the emotional resonance of color itself.
