Helen FrankenthalerAmerican, 1928–2011Blue Form in a Scene
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Blue Form in a Scene” now? Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Yes, on view now. Checked October 12, 2026.
New York, United States
Open now· until 6:00 PM
On public display.
- Checked
- Source
- The museum
Details
- Accession number
- 2002.221
In the catalog
Sources
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Image: Whitney Museum of American Art — © the artist or rights holder
In the life of Helen Frankenthaler
The whole life1959
First Prize at the Paris Biennial
She receives First Prize for Painting at the first Paris Biennial.
11 July 1959 – 11 October 1959
Exhibition: Documenta II
1960
First museum retrospective at the Jewish Museum
A retrospective of her work of the 1950s at the Jewish Museum is her first major museum show; the catalogue is written by the critic and poet Frank O’Hara, a curator at the Museum of Modern Art.
1960
Her work is described as “colour field painting”
In 1960 the term “colour field painting” is used to describe Frankenthaler’s work: large areas of colour on the canvas, hues similar in tone or intensity, large formats and simplified compositions.
1963
A switch to acrylic paints
From 1963 she uses acrylic paints rather than oils, because they allow for both opacity and sharpness on the canvas.
