“Number 99,” created by Morris Louis between 1959 and 1960, is an exemplary piece of Color Field Painting. Rendered with magna on canvas, this abstract artwork belongs to Louis’s “Floral” series and is housed at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio. The painting measures 251.3 by 360.5 cm, demonstrating substantial dimensions that engage the viewer through its immersive scale.
The artwork is characterized by vibrant, sweeping bands of translucent color, overlapping and intermingling to create a dynamic and visually arresting composition. The use of magna, an acrylic resin paint, allows for a rich, fluid palette that enhances the depth and intensity of the hues. The bands of color seem to pulsate and flow across the canvas, evoking organic forms and movement. Each layer of color interacts with the others, creating a sense of transparency and spatial complexity. The overlapping strokes of vivid reds, blues, greens, yellows, and purples form an intricate tapestry of hues, embodying the essence of abstract art and emphasizing the importance of color and form.
