Pagan Void

At the center of this abstract composition, a black circle is layered over an area of pale aqua, curving like a rain puddle, against a background of forest green in this nearly square painting. The edge of the black circle is lined with periwinkle blue around the bottom left half. A few streaks of the blue seep or drip into the black circle. Above the center of the large black circle, a delicate white circle is drawn around a small white dot, and a swipe of scarlet red curves around the bottom half of the white circle. The aqua form is serrated at the top right and bulges with curves and spikes around the rest of the circle. One pointed, aqua-colored spike at the bottom left is painted over with swirls and scrolls in the scarlet red and periwinkle blue. More periwinkle blue squiggles and lines are drawn against the aqua field, especially around its perimeter. The area filling the space between the aqua puddle and the edge of the canvas is pine green to the top and left, and is streaked with teal green along the bottom and right edges. The artist signed and dated the work in the lower right corner: “Barnett Newman 1946.”