“Number 1-82,” created by Morris Louis in 1961, is an acrylic on canvas painting that exemplifies the Color Field Painting movement. This abstract piece, which belongs to the “Stripe” series, measures 208.91 x 84.45 cm and is currently housed in the Philip Collection, Washington, DC, US.
The artwork features a vertical arrangement of vibrant, multicolored stripes set against a stark white background. Each stripe varies in hue and tonality, creating a dynamic yet harmonious composition. The colors range from deep blues and greens to warm shades of yellow, orange, and red. The vertical stripes, meticulously applied, exhibit a fluid, almost liquid quality, indicative of Louis’s innovative use of acrylic paint. The interaction between the bold, saturated colors and the unpainted white canvas evokes a sense of clarity and precision, characteristic of the Color Field Painting movement. This artwork exemplifies Morris Louis’s mastery in creating visually compelling compositions through simplicity and color interplay.
