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Orange Downpour

Publisher Published by Abrams Original Editions, New York American
1970
Not on view
Frankenthaler made her first print in 1961. Despite her initial trepidation, she quickly embraced printmaking, leading the artist to declare: "After the first day [of making prints] I felt no hesitation. I was very committed. . . . It was a whole new road—and a very connected road." Orange Downpour captures the essence of Frankenthaler’s art—the spontaneity and experimentation, the fluidity of forms, and the fusion of color with gesture. A sweep of orange runs nearly the length of the sheet; its irregular shape, blurred edges, and modulated tone evoke watery associations as well as Frankenthaler’s technique of pouring paint. This form is complemented by two thin lines of green and purple resembling drips of paint that are vertically stacked along the left edge of the sheet.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Orange Downpour
  • Series/Portfolio: Four Pochoirs, 1970
  • Artist: Helen Frankenthaler (American, New York 1928–2011 Darien, Connecticut)
  • Publisher: Published by Abrams Original Editions, New York
  • Date: 1970
  • Medium: Pochoir
  • Dimensions: 30 1/2 x 22 inches (77.5 x 55.8 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: John B. Turner Fund, 1971
  • Object Number: 1971.589.1
  • Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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