Greyed Rainbow by Jackson Pollock

This painting creates a dream-like world from the depths of Pollock's mind

It was in 1953 during a time when he created a number of ‘Dripping Paintings’ that he created the painting known as Greyed Rainbow.

Painting with oil, the canvas has a black surface on top of which Pollock has applied the colours grey and white.

On their own, these three colours might lead to the picture appearing as a dull monochromatic piece. Instead, there are towards the bottom, other rainbow like colours such as yellow, orange and blue for example hence the connection with the name of the picture.

When looking at the painting, there exists within it the appearance of two types of brushstrokes used. One of these shows a heavy pressure applied to the brushstroke which has smeared the colour across all of the canvas.

The other stroke seen in the drip painting has thinner and clearer lines. It is these lines which Pollock has applied by dripping mostly grey paint onto the picture.

Those studying his paintings feel that the painting style of Greyed Rainbow is similar with some of Pollock’s other paintings like Number 5 (1948), Number 19 (1948), Mural and Number 1 (1950).

During the time when he produced a number of Drip Paintings, each shows us how he has explored the different ways of painting. Along with Greyed Rainbow, they each show a different reaction and emotion while looking at them.

Jason Pollock was an American artist who in the late 1940’s came up with a ground-breaking art form known as Abstract Expressionism.

It involved dripping, pouring and splashing paint onto large canvases. This style of painting by Pollock displays the power of the artist’s motions, their materials and their tools.