The Seasons 1975

"The Seasons" (1975) by Brice Marden, currently housed in the Menil Collection in Houston, TX, is a minimalist masterpiece. This four-panel work presents a single row of rectangular canvases, each painted in a solid color. The colors, ranging from a pale yellow to a deep gray, create a sense of subtle variation and evoke the changing seasons. Marden’s signature use of wax-based paint gives the surfaces a soft, velvety texture, adding another dimension to the artwork. "The Seasons" is a prime example of minimalist abstraction, a genre that prioritizes form and color over figurative representation.