Torches Mauve 1960

Franz Kline made *Torches Mauve* with oil paint, slashing and smearing strokes of black and mauve to build up the image. You can see the process in the brushwork, how he layers the paint, pushing and pulling it across the canvas. The painting is all about the physicality of the medium, the thick, opaque paint creating a textured surface that catches the light. I’m particularly drawn to the raw energy of that black beam cutting across the canvas; it’s so decisive, like a bold statement. Kline isn't trying to hide anything; he's letting the paint do its thing, letting it drip and smudge and build up. It’s raw and emotional. Kline's pared down palette really resonates with the work of Robert Motherwell, who used a similar approach to explore themes of loss, memory and absence. But, ultimately, Kline's work is all about the act of painting itself.