Helen Frankenthaler was born on December 28, 1928 in Manhattan, New York and died in 2011. She attended the exclusive Brearley School in Manhattan and the Dalton School where her art teacher was Rufino Tamayo. She later went on to study painting at Bennington College under the tutelage of Paul Feeley, an academic cubist and then studied with Hans Hoffman over the summer of 1950.
One of Helen’s greatest influences comes from Jackson Pollock and the way he utilized drip painting. She took the technique of drip painting one step further, using turpentine to create abstract imagery-stain paintings.
In the 1960’s she took paint thinning even further, using acrylics instead of oils, a style that influenced a new generation of painters including Kenneth Noland and Morris Louis.
Edition: 39 from the limited edition of 42, Year: 1976-82, Medium: etching with aquatint in colors on CM Fabriano Classico paper, Publisher: Donn H. Steward, Halesite, New York
Edition: from the edition of 8, Year: 1969-1972, Medium: lithograph in colors, Publisher: Printed and published by Universal limited Art editions, West Islip, New York.
Edition: 11 from the limited edition of 17, Year: 1971, Medium: Lithograph in colors on three sheets of Japan paper, Publisher: Universal Limited Art Editions, West Islip, New York
Edition: 5 from the limited edition of 24, Year: 1965, Medium: Lithograph in colors Richard de Bas Auvergne à la main paper, Publisher: Universal Limited Art Editions, West Islip, New York
Edition: 34 from the limited edition of 100, Year: 1965, Medium: Lithograph in colors on wove paper
Edition: 8 from the limited Artist's Proof edition of 10, aside from the edition of 47, Year: 1987, Medium: Lithograph in colors on TGL handmade paper, Publisher: Tyler Graphics Ltd., Mt. Kisco, New York
Helen Frankenthaler was born on December 28, 1928 in Manhattan, New York and died in 2011. She attended the exclusive Brearley School in Manhattan and the Dalton School where her art teacher was Rufino Tamayo. She later went on to study painting at Bennington College under the tutelage of Paul Feeley, an academic cubist and then studied with Hans Hoffman over the summer of 1950.
One of Helen’s greatest influences comes from Jackson Pollock and the way he utilized drip painting. She took the technique of drip painting one step further, using turpentine to create abstract imagery-stain paintings.
In the 1960’s she took paint thinning even further, using acrylics instead of oils, a style that influenced a new generation of painters including Kenneth Noland and Morris Louis.
Helen Frankenthaler was born on December 28, 1928 in Manhattan, New York and died in 2011. She attended the exclusive Brearley School in Manhattan and the Dalton School where her art teacher was Rufino Tamayo. She later went on to study painting at Bennington College under the tutelage of Paul Feeley, an academic cubist and then studied with Hans Hoffman over the summer of 1950. One of Helen’s greatest influences comes from Jackson Pollock and the way he utilized drip painting. She took the technique of drip painting one step further, using turpentine to create abstract imagery-stain paintings. In the 1960’s she took paint thinning even further, using acrylics instead of oils, a style that influenced a new generation of painters including Kenneth Noland and Morris Louis.
Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011) was a major American painter and printmaker, born in New York City. She studied at Bennington College and went on to become one of the most influential abstract artists of the postwar era. Her career spanned more than six decades, during which she experimented boldly with paint, color, and form.
Frankenthaler poured or brushed thinned paint (initially oil mixed with turpentine, later watered-down acrylics) onto large unprimed canvases laid flat on the floor. This soak-stain method allowed color to seep into the canvas fibers, producing soft, translucent washes rather than thick brushstrokes – creating effect like glowing veils of color. Her works emphasize flatness, luminosity, and a sense of spontaneity over traditional brushwork or figuration.
Some of Helen Frankenthaler’s notable artworks include:
These works highlight her evolution and significant impact on modern abstract painting.
Frankenthaler is most often linked with the tail end of Abstract Expressionism, and is considered a foundational figure of the Color Field painting and Post Painterly Abstraction movements. Her work signified a shift away from gestural intensity toward spacious, color-driven abstraction.
Authentic Artwork by Helen Frankenthaler – including original paintings, prints, and certified editions – can be sourced via established galleries, auction houses, and specialist dealers in modern and contemporary art. A trusted source is Dane Fine Art, which offers documented, genuine works by Helen Frankenthaler and other major modern masters. Always check provenance, edition number, condition, and authenticity certificates before purchasing.