Blue Red

1964

Ellsworth Kelly American, 1923-2015

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About the Artwork

Ellsworth Kelly was a precursor of minimalism, developing his own "hard-edge" style of painting that reduced geometric elements to their most basic state. The smooth, blue oblong shape lies flatly against the contrasting monochrome red surface, showing no signs of depth or illusionistic space. The only compositional element is the relationship between the colors, which replaces any representational meaning or content.

Title Blue Red

Artwork Date 1964

Artist Ellsworth Kelly

Life Dates 1923-2015

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. American

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Unknown

Medium Oil on canvas

Dimensions Framed: 73 × 58 1/2 × 1 1/2 inches (185.4 × 148.6 × 3.8 cm) Unframed: 72 × 58 inches (182.9 × 147.3 cm)

Classification Paintings

Department Contemporary Art after 1950

Credit Founders Society Purchase with funds from W. Hawkins Ferry

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 75.32

Markings

Signed Signed and dated on verso: Kelly 1964

Inscriptions Inscribed in marker on horizontal stretcher bar, left: #333 72 1/2 x 58" Signed and dated in marker on horizontal stretcher bar, right: Kelly 1964 Inscribed in marker on vertical stretcher bar, upper center: [an arrow pointing to top of painting]

Marks Paper label with printed blue ink and typewritten information: Collection of CARTER BURDEN No. 11.30 | Artist: Ellsworth KELLY ( American, born 1923) | Title: Red/Blue [underlined] | Date: 1964 | Medium: Acrylic on canvas | Dimensions: 72 1/2 x 58 inches | (7-68) Yellow paper label with blue printing: FA [in circle] OLLENDORFF FINE ARTS | FINE ART PACKERS AND SHIPPERS | NEW YORK - SAN FRANCISCO | lot no. 4453 piece no. 1 White paper label with blue printing, lot and piece number handwritten in blue ink: HAHN BROS. | New York City | Lot No. 26393 Piece No. 69

Provenance

the artist

collection of Carter Burden

(Blum Helman Gallery, New York, New York, USA)

1975-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance and its important function in the museum, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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