Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 115 works by Morris Louis in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Morris Louis left, the most famous is Seal (1959), in the collection of the The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.. Close behind it come Ambi I (1960) and Number 28 (1961). Our catalog holds 115 works by Morris Louis; the gallery has kept the 92 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
To stand before Seal is to witness a moment where the physical properties of paint and fabric become indistinguishable. Created in 1959, this work belongs to a period of intense experimentation with what is known as the "veil" technique. There are no visible brushstrokes here to guide the eye; instead, the artist utilized Magna acrylic paint, applied in thin, diluted layers onto unprimed linen. The pigment does not sit upon…
To stand before Ambi I is to step into a realm where pigment itself becomes the primary subject. This monumental canvas by Morris Louis is not merely a depiction of color, but an immersion within it—a breathtaking study in atmospheric depth and fluid movement. The work eschews any recognizable narrative or focal point, instead inviting the viewer into a vast, breathable space built entirely from washes of diluted acrylics. It…
In the realm of mid-century abstraction, few works capture the ethereal essence of movement as profoundly as Morris Louis’s Number 28. Created in 1961, this masterpiece stands as a definitive pillar of the Color Field painting movement, inviting the viewer into a meditative space where boundaries between form and pigment dissolve. At first glance, the composition presents a striking minimalist architecture: two vertical bands of vibrant, saturated color that descend…
In the pantheon of mid-century American abstraction, few works command the room with such visceral intensity as Morris Louis’s “Para III.” Created in 1959, this monumental canvas serves as a profound testament to the power of pure color to bypass the intellect and speak directly to the soul. As a cornerstone of the Washington Color School, Louis moved away from the frantic, gestural energy of his Abstract Expressionist contemporaries, opting…
In this 1958 work, Morris Louis presents "Broad Turning," a significant example of Color Field painting. The piece occupies a substantial presence within the space it inhabits. It measures 230 x 384 cm, which is approximately 9 ft. 10 in. x 15 ft. 7 in. This scale allows the color to expand across the viewer's field of vision.
Morris Louis's "VAV," painted in 1960, isn’t merely a canvas splashed with color; it’s an invitation to contemplate the very essence of perception and the interplay between surface and depth. This pivotal work, now residing within the esteemed collection of Tate Modern, marks a radical departure for Louis – a shift away from the gestural brushstrokes characteristic of Abstract Expressionism towards a revolutionary technique he termed “Veil Painting.” It’s a…
Morris Louis's “Delta Kappa,” painted in 1960, isn’t merely a canvas adorned with color; it’s an invitation to surrender to the ephemeral beauty of process and feeling. This seminal work from the Washington Color School represents a pivotal moment in American abstract expressionism, marking a decisive shift away from traditional figuration towards a radical exploration of pure color fields. Louis, deeply influenced by the European avant-garde – particularly the works…
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…
Morris Louis produced Number 1-82 in 1961. This work emerged during a period of intense experimentation for the artist, who was a central figure in the Washington Color School. By this stage of his career, Louis had moved toward the highly ordered and rhythmic structures that defined his later output.
Blue Veil by Morris Louis is an abstract composition created about 1958. The work is dominated by flowing washes of color that lack defined forms or representational imagery. Instead of recognizable objects, the surface is defined by the interaction of pigment and space. The arrangement appears spontaneous and organic, suggesting a process governed by gravity and the movement of liquid.
Beta Upsilon1960
12
Beth Chaf1959
13
Ambi II1959
14
Gamma LambdaChrysler Museum of Art
15
Partition1962 · Tate Modern
16
Delta Lambda1961 · Cleveland Museum of Art
17
Gamma Tau1960
18
Dalet Kaf1959 · Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
19
Number 2-071961
20
Maxine's House1940
21![Drawing [D88] (1948) by Morris Louis](/media/artworks/images-thumb/7f/c2/7fc2898e415bb621fbaefab956334b74.jpg)
Drawing [D88]1948 · The Phillips Collection
22
Untitled1949
23![Drawing [D182] (1950) by Morris Louis](/media/artworks/images-thumb/62/4a/624a98babdb12a70dc3e181f7c3969c3.jpg)
Drawing [D182]1950 · The Phillips Collection
24
Trellis1953
25
Landscape (Mid-day)1953
26
Charred Journal Firewritten I1951
27
Number 11957 · Buffalo AKG Art Museum
28
Alpha Tau1961
29
Number 821961
30
Alpha Phi1961
31
Gamma Omicron1960
32
Blue Column1960 · The Phillips Collection
33
Alpha-Pi1960
34
Alpha Upsilon1960
35
Omega I1960
36
Beth Rash1959
37
Beth Chaf1959
38
Gamma Ro1960
39
Untitled1960
40
Yad1958
41
Number 321961
42
Floral V1960
43
Pillar of Fire1961
44
Alphard1961
45
Beth Zayin1959
46
Crest of Pillar1961
47
Pillar of Hope1961
48
Alpha1960 · Buffalo AKG Art Museum
49
Red Go1961
50
7 Bronze1958
51
Saf1959
52
Vertical Horizon1961
53
Spawn1960
54
Third Element1961
55
Dalet Chet1958
56
While Series II1960
57
Addition V1959
58
Saf Aleph1959
59
K S I1959 · Museum Folkwang
60
Gamma Pi1960
61
Delta Theta1961
62
Color Line1961
63
Bellatrix1961
64
Buskin1959
65
Point of Tranquility1960
66
Horizontal VIII1962
67
Number 61962
68
Horizontal I1962
69
2-681962
70
Gemma1962
71
1-331962
72
Number 391962
73
Hot Half1962
74
Number 1-361962
75
Green Picket1962
76
Apogee1962
77
Number 1-681962 · Museum Het Valkhof
78
High1959 · Dallas Museum of Art
79
Dalet Tet1959 · Toledo Museum of Art
80
Saraband1959 · Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
81
Number 1-811961 · High Museum of Art
82
Approach1962 · The Phillips Collection
83
Janus1960 · Museum f\u00fcr Moderne Kunst
84
Sub-Marine1948
85
Number 991960 · Cleveland Museum of Art
86
Beta Kappa1961
87
Airborn1959
88
Untitled
89
Russet
90
Pungent Distances1961
91
Phi1961 · Tate Modern
92
Untitled1960
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Morris Louis | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Phillips Collection |
Washington, D.C. | 6 | Seal, Number 1-82, Drawing [D88] |
 Dallas Museum of Art |
Dallas | 3 | Broad Turning, Delta Kappa, High |
 Tate Modern |
London | 3 | VAV, Partition, Phi |
 High Museum of Art |
Atlanta | 2 | Para III, Number 1-81 |
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 2 | Delta Lambda, Number 99 |
 Buffalo AKG Art Museum |
Buffalo | 2 | Number 1, Alpha |
 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art |
San Francisco | 1 | Ambi I |
 Walker Art Center |
Minneapolis | 1 | Number 28 |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
To stand before Seal is to witness a moment where the physical properties of paint and fabric become indistinguishable. Created in 1959, this work belongs to a period of intense experimentation with what is known as the "veil" technique. There are no visible brushstrokes here to guide the eye; instead, the artist utilized Magna acrylic paint, applied in thin, diluted layers onto unprimed linen. The pigment does not sit upon…
To stand before Ambi I is to step into a realm where pigment itself becomes the primary subject. This monumental canvas by Morris Louis is not merely a depiction of color, but an immersion within it—a breathtaking study in atmospheric depth and fluid movement. The work eschews any recognizable narrative or focal point, instead inviting the viewer into a vast, breathable space built entirely from washes of diluted acrylics. It…
Seal (1959), The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.. Ambi I (1960) and Number 28 (1961) come next.
47 years old: Seal dates from 1959, and Morris Louis was born in 1912.
Seal, Ambi I, Number 28, Para III, Broad Turning, VAV, Delta Kappa, Where, Number 1-82 and Blue Veil. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 115 works by Morris Louis, dated from 1940 to 1962.
Mostly in The Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C.), Dallas Museum of Art (Dallas) and Tate Modern (London). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1960s: 58 of the 92 works on this page were made then, Ambi I among them.
On this page, the earliest is Maxine's House (1940) and the latest Partition (1962).
Abstract (10), Flowing (9) and Layers (9), across the 92 works on this page.
Acrylic On Canvas, for 25 of the 92 works on this page.
Color field, judging by the originals on this page.
Seal, Number 1-82 and Drawing [D88]: the The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C. holds 6 of the works on this page.
