“Mountains and Sea,” created in 1952 by Helen Frankenthaler, is a seminal piece of artwork that belongs to the Abstract Expressionism movement. Utilizing mediums of charcoal and oil on canvas, Frankenthaler crafted this abstract work which measures an impressive 220 cm by 297.8 cm. The artwork is currently housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it stands as a testament to Frankenthaler’s contribution to the genre of abstract painting.
The artwork, “Mountains and Sea,” features a harmonious blend of colors and forms that evoke the essence of a landscape rather than its literal representation. The composition is dominated by soft washes of color that bleed into one another, creating a fluid and ethereal effect. Swaths of blue, green, pink, and red hues intermingle, interspersed with the subtle presence of charcoal lines that adds structure to the organic amalgamation of shades. The technique used by Frankenthaler, known as “soak-stain,” involves thinning the oil paint with turpentine so that it soaks into the unprimed canvas, creating a staining effect that becomes integral to the canvas itself.
This early example of Color Field painting, a subset of Abstract Expressionism, showcases Frankenthaler’s innovative approach to color and composition. There is an absence of formal structure, allowing the viewer to interpret the work on a personal level, unrestricted by conventional constraints. The expansive size of the canvas draws the viewer into a landscape of color that transcends traditional pictorial limitations, instead suggesting a vast and open space reminiscent of a natural setting. “Mountains and Sea” is celebrated for its pioneering role in the development of new painting methods and its enduring influence on subsequent generations of artists.
