description Number 31 Overview
Number 31, 1950 is a large abstract painting by Jackson Pollock, held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Pollock made it by pouring, dripping, and flinging paint across a canvas placed on the floor, producing an all-over network without a conventional focal point. Its scale and layered traces of movement make it a major example of Abstract Expressionism and the working method often called action painting.
insights Ranking position
Number 31 ranks #58 of 160 in the Painting ranking, behind Portrait of Dr. Gachet, ahead of The Gleaners.
help Number 31 FAQ
How did Jackson Pollock make Number 31, 1950?
Pollock placed unstretched canvas on the floor and poured, dripped, and flung paint across it using sticks, hardened brushes, and other tools. The marks record movement around the canvas rather than conventional brushwork performed at an easel.
Why is the painting called Number 31 instead of having a descriptive title?
Pollock increasingly numbered his works to discourage viewers from searching for a literal subject. Number 31, 1950 directs attention toward the painting's layered lines, scale, rhythm, and material.
How large is Number 31, 1950?
The painting is roughly 9 feet high and 17 feet wide, making it one of Pollock's largest works. Its scale allows the interlaced black, white, gray, and brown paint to surround the viewer's field of vision.
Where is Number 31, 1950 displayed?
Number 31, 1950 belongs to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. MoMA acquired it in 1968, and it has become one of the museum's defining Abstract Expressionist works.
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