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Morris Louis, Beta Kappa, 1961, acrylic on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Marcella Louis Brenner

Beta Kappa, Louis

Louis was a leader of the local Washington Color School, a branch of the larger color field movement. He is best known for experimenting with a process called staining, in which he diluted acrylic paints and poured them onto unprimed canvas. He then tipped, bent, or folded the canvas or its support to control how the color moved over the surface.

09/30/16