Modern and Contemporary American Art (1900 to present)

After a decade of working primarily with black and white paint, Kline began to re-introduce color to his paintings in the late 1950s. "Red Crayon" is an excellent example of that transition. Kline's courageous exploration of color qualities, from a bright, acidic yellow to a deep, mellow purple, creates a sense of excitement and encourages the viewer to react in different ways to various parts of the painting. Kline's final touch, a few scribbles with a red crayon, is a whimsical, unique detail that gives the painting its name and distinguishes it within his body of work.