Untitled (May 20) 1950

Myron Stout’s 'Untitled (May 20)' is a fascinating puzzle of vertical rectangles and squares, composed in a muted palette of pinks, purples, yellows, and blues. Imagine Stout building up the painting, one block at a time, shifting the colors like a composer might arrange notes. I wonder, what was he thinking as he carefully placed each form? Was it a meditative process, a slow and deliberate act of building and balancing? I see the influence of artists like Mondrian, but with a more human and less rigid touch. The colors are warm, gentle, and there's a softness to the edges which gives the piece a very approachable feeling. It's as if Stout is inviting us into a private world of color and form, a space where we can get lost in the details. This ongoing conversation with artists across time, is the magic of painting, isn't it?