Paper

Student Artwork Guide

Where

Morris Louis, 1960

Name Class Date
Morris Louis, Where (1960). Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Morris Louis originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/morris-louis/
Artist’s dates
1912 – 1962
Painted
1960
Medium
Acrylic On Canvas
Original size
252 x 362 cm
Movement
Abstract Expressionism Large canvases where the act of painting itself — the drip, the sweep — is the subject.
Period
Modern
Artistic style
Color Field painting, Geometric abstraction
Influences
Eugene Speicher, Paul Cézanne
Notable elements
Horizontal stripes, checkerboard pattern
Subject or theme
Abstract color and shape interplay

Copyright This work is still under copyright. Morris Louis died in 1962; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it remains in force until 2032. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.

Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 23, 2026

Where — Morris Louis Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Where — Morris Louis

How big is it?

The original measures 252 × 362 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height. It is too large to draw to scale on this page.

When was this painted?

  1. 1910
  2. 1920
  3. 1930
  4. 1940
  5. 1950
  6. 1960

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 50 at death.

Painted when the artist was 48. The artist lived to 50. 31 of the 89 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Morris Louis (1912–1962) ▲ this work, 1960 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1959 Main working years: 1959–1961 Late works: from 1961

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

  • VAV, 1960 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/morris-louis-vav-D2DNHZ-en/
  • Ambi I, 1960 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/morris-louis-ambi-i-D2DNJ7-en/
  • Seal, 1959 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/morris-louis-seal-D3J8DT-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/morris-louis-where-AS7TRZ-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Gray #7c8d73

    Catalogued palette

    • #7C8D73
    • #3F505D
    • #EBD8B3
    • #CE854A

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Gray
    Intensity
    Vivid How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Clear Color Presence How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Morris Louis over the last twelve months — 5 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 80.0%
    2. 2 Italy 6.7%
    3. 3 United States of America 6.7%
    4. 4 Japan 3.3%
    5. 5 Türkiye 3.3%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Morris Louis

    1. 1 Saraband, 1959 7.5%
    2. 2 Para III, 1959 7.5%
    3. 3 Where, 1960 this painting 5.0%
    4. 4 Broad Turning, 1958 5.0%
    5. 5 1-33, 1962 5.0%
    6. 6 Number 6, 1962 5.0%
    7. 7 Gamma Tau, 1960 5.0%
    8. 8 Dalet Kaf, 1959 5.0%
    9. 9 Alpha-Pi, 1960 5.0%
    10. 10 Number 99, 1960 5.0%
    11. 11 Gamma Lambda 2.5%
    12. 12 Number 2-07, 1961 2.5%
    13. 13 Approach, 1962 2.5%
    14. 14 Blue Veil, 1958 2.5%
    15. 15 Dalet Tet, 1959 2.5%
    16. 16 K S I, 1959 2.5%
    17. 17 Saf Aleph, 1959 2.5%
    18. 18 Number 1-68, 1962 2.5%
    19. 19 Number 1-81, 1961 2.5%
    20. 20 Airborn, 1959 2.5%

    Together these works take 80.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 92 works by this artist, of which 28 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 3 of them, with 5.0% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 23, 2026

    Where — Morris Louis Part 2 · In context

    About this artwork

    Where — Morris Louis

    A Symphony of Color and Flow

    In the vast landscape of mid-century modernism, few works capture the ethereal essence of movement quite like "Where" by Morris Louis. Created in 1960, this monumental masterpiece serves as a profound testament to the era of Abstract Expressionism, specifically the evolution into Color Field painting. At first glance, the viewer is met with a breathtaking vertical composition where elongated, rectangular forms of varying hues dance across the canvas. There is no traditional subject matter here—no figures to anchor the eye or landscapes to provide a sense of place. Instead, the artwork invites us into a purely sensory experience, where the interplay of light, pigment, and shape creates a rhythmic progression that feels both spontaneous and meticulously balanced.

    The technique employed by Louis is nothing short of revolutionary. Utilizing acrylic resin on canvas, he achieved a unique texture and finish that allows colors to bleed and merge with a dreamlike fluidity. The painting features a striking arrangement of horizontal stripes in a vibrant palette—reds, blues, greens, yellows, oranges, and purples—that occasionally coalesce into a mesmerizing checkerboard pattern. This method creates a sense of depth and luminosity, as if the light is emanating from within the layers of paint itself. The soft edges and blended hues suggest a watercolor-like delicacy, yet the scale of the piece—a commanding 252 x 362 cm—imparts a powerful, physical presence that demands attention in any space.

    The Legacy of Innovation

    To understand "Where," one must look back to the transformative period of the 1940s and 1950s when Morris Louis emerged as a pivotal figure in the American art scene. Moving away from the heavy, gestural brushwork of early Abstract Expressionism, Louis pioneered a style that emphasized the inherent properties of paint and the flatness of the canvas. His discovery of Magna paint—an oil-based acrylic—allowed him to manipulate pigment with unprecedented freedom, leading to his famous "veil" paintings. In "Where," we see the culmination of this experimentation, where the artist rejects representational forms in favor of exploring the emotional resonance of pure color and geometric abstraction.

    For the discerning collector or interior designer, this piece offers more than just visual splendor; it provides a focal point of profound serenity and contemplation. The harmonious color scheme and the rhythmic, linear progression of the forms evoke a sense of peace, making it an ideal centerpiece for sophisticated, contemporary environments. Whether placed in a grand gallery setting or a curated residential lounge, a high-quality reproduction of "Where" brings with it the historical weight of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection and the timeless allure of a movement that redefined the boundaries of modern art.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 23, 2026

    Where — Morris Louis Part 3 · About this artwork

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Morris Louis

    Born in Baltimore, United States of America

    Early Life and Education

    Born: Morris Louis Bernstein, November 28, 1912, Baltimore, Maryland

    Parents: Louis Bernstein (furniture salesman) and Cecelia Luckman Bernstein.

    Education: Attended public schools in Baltimore; Maryland Institute of Fine and Applied Arts (now MICA), 1929-1932. Did not complete a degree.

    Early influences included Eugene Speicher and Paul Cézanne.

    Showed an early interest in art, encouraged by his family despite limited opportunities in Baltimore.

    Development as an Artist & Key Influences

    1930s: Worked various odd jobs to support himself while painting (vegetable peeling, laundry work, Gallup Poll research).

    1934-1936: Participated in the Public Works of Art Project mural project under Sam Swerdloff.

    1936-1937: Moved to New York City; experimented with techniques at the Siqueiros Workshop.

    Magna Paint Discovery (1948): A pivotal moment – Louis pioneered the use of Magna paint, a newly developed oil-based acrylic paint created for him by Leonard Bocour and Sam Golden. This allowed for greater fluidity and transparency in his work.

    Influence of Helen Frankenthaler: In 1953, Louis and Kenneth Noland visited Frankenthaler's studio and were deeply impressed by her stain paintings (particularly "Mountains and Sea"). This inspired their experimentation with pouring and staining techniques.

    The Veil Paintings & Color Field Innovations

    Mature Veil Paintings (1954): Characterized by overlapping, superimposed layers of transparent color poured onto and stained into sized or unsized canvas.

    Technique: Extremely diluted paint was applied to an unprimed, unstretched canvas, allowing it to flow over the inclined surface, creating translucent color veils. This eliminated brushstrokes and emphasized flatness.

    Color Field Painting: Louis became a central figure in Color Field painting, simplifying pictorial space and emphasizing flat planes of intense color. He was part of the Washington Color School movement.

    Series & Styles: Beyond the Veil paintings, he explored series like florals, columns (1960), unfurleds (1960-61) – featuring rivulets of opaque color – and stripe paintings (1961-62).

    Major Achievements & Historical Significance

    Pioneering Color Field Painting: Louis is recognized as a key innovator in Color Field painting, alongside artists like Kenneth Noland and Helen Frankenthaler.

    Influence on Abstract Expressionism: His work expanded the boundaries of Abstract Expressionism by focusing on color and flatness rather than gesture or composition.

    Washington Color School: A significant contributor to this influential movement, which emphasized a reductive approach to painting.

    Destruction of Works: Notably, Louis destroyed many of his paintings between 1955 and 1957, reflecting a critical self-assessment of his work.

    Legacy: His emphasis on color, flatness, and the materiality of paint continues to influence contemporary artists.

    Later Years & Death

    Louis continued painting prolifically until his death.

    Death: Died September 7, 1962, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 49.

    Memorial Exhibition (1963): A significant exhibition was held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum shortly after his death.

    Retrospective Exhibitions: Major retrospectives followed at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (1967), and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (1976).

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Where

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/morris-louis-where-AS7TRZ-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Louis, Morris. Where. 1960, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/morris-louis-where-AS7TRZ-en/
    APA
    Louis, Morris (1960). Where [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/morris-louis-where-AS7TRZ-en/
    Chicago
    Morris Louis. Where. 1960. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/morris-louis-where-AS7TRZ-en/
    Harvard
    Louis, Morris (1960) Where. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/morris-louis-where-AS7TRZ-en/

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 23, 2026

    Where — Morris Louis Part 4 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Where — Morris Louis

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: abstract, color stripes, geometric. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at VAV (1960), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Abstract Expressionism: Large canvases where the act of painting itself — the drip, the sweep — is the subject. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: OriginalUniqueArt.com — accessed Sept. 23, 2026

    Where — Morris Louis Part 5 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    What are the format and size of "Where"?

    The format of "Where" is landscape, and the original measures 252 x 362 cm. Both are useful when planning a reproduction.

    What is the dominant color of "Where" by Morris Louis?

    The color that stands out most in "Where" is gray (#7c8d73). The dominant color is useful when matching an artwork to an interior.

    Is "Where" by Morris Louis among the sought-after Abstract Expressionism artworks?

    "Where" by Morris Louis is classified as iconic and belongs to the Abstract Expressionism movement.