Number 10 by Jackson Pollock

Painted in 1949, Pollock’s masterpiece, Number 10 illustrates the complex and turbulent state of Pollock’s psychological well being and state of mind, during this alcohol-fuelled stage in his life.

Along with the rest of his paintings, Number 10 has no theme, discernable features, objects or characters, but instead is a display of subconscious creativity, which became a style known as pure painting.

During the 1940s, this revolutionary style was unlike anything seen before and combined a child-like simplicity with an abstract complexity.

Born in Wyoming, America, in 1912, Pollock became interested in the artistic movement known as surrealism and admired several famous Pablo Picasso paintings.

Whilst studying art in New York City (under the tutelage of Thomas Hart Benton), Mexican muralists and Benton also influenced Pollock’s artistic and creative style.

As the Abstract Expressionist movement grew in popularity in post World War II America, Pollock became one of its leading exponents.

Two years before Number 10 was painted, in 1947, Jackson Pollock’s approach to creating art dramatically changed. Instead of using a traditional easel or painting canvases on a tabletop with the paintbrush touching the canvas, Pollock started to paint canvases on the floor.

He began to prefer to have a birds-eye view of his painting as he created it. This also allowed him to start dripping, pouring, flicking and using gravity to pour paint onto the canvas from above, creating his signature painting style.

The term Action Painting is thought to have originated from his physical method of using his entire body to paint.

Pollock’s creativity extended to the materials and equipment he used. He used a range of industrial specification types of paint and different paint brands to achieve the blend of colours and multi-layered surfaces.

It was painted using enamel, aluminum, synthetic and oil paint. It is the random trails of the sparkling black enamel pattern that contrasts with the dull matt finish of the aluminum paint. Number 10 is one of Jackson Pollock’s most revered and sought-after paintings.