“Horizontal and Vertical Lines” is an abstract artwork created in 1951 by the renowned artist Ellsworth Kelly. The piece is aligned with the Minimalism art movement, characterized by its simplicity and focus on basic geometric forms. Kelly’s composition exemplifies the minimalist aesthetic through its use of fundamental shapes and lines.
The artwork features a stark white background intersected by two bold, black lines—one horizontal and one vertical—forming a distinct cross at the center of the canvas. The lines are evenly spaced, dividing the canvas into four equal quadrants. The simplicity of the design emphasizes the interaction between the horizontal and vertical elements, drawing attention to the purity of form and the spatial relationships within the composition. Such an approach encapsulates the essence of minimalism, focusing on the essential elements and eschewing any extraneous detail.
