What are Ad Reinhardt's final black paintings called?
Answer
Ultimate paintings
33 Abstract Expressionism Trivia Questions with Answers
33 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
Abstract Expressionism trivia examines the postwar art movement known for monumental canvases, dramatic gestures, fields of color, and the idea of painting as an act of creation. Questions cover artists including Franz Kline, Ad Reinhardt, Lee Krasner, Clyfford Still, Barnett Newman, and the painter associated with the “Elegy to the Spanish Republic” series.
The collection also tests the language surrounding the movement. You may need to identify the critic who coined “Action Painting” or explain the phrase Harold Rosenberg used for the new Abstract Expressionist style. With 35 questions, this set fits art-history classes, museum study groups, serious pub quizzes, and anyone interested in modern painting.
Which museum in Denver was established to exhibit exclusively the work of Clyfford Still?
Answer
Clyfford Still Museum
What series of paintings by Barnett Newman was inspired by the Via Dolorosa?
Answer
The Stations of the Cross
Which Abstract Expressionist painter is known for the 'Elegy to the Spanish Republic' series?
Answer
Robert Motherwell
Which critic coined the term 'Action Painting' in a 1952 essay?
Answer
Harold Rosenberg
What is the title of Helen Frankenthaler's first soak-stain painting from 1952?
Answer
Mountains and Sea
What is the nickname of Jackson Pollock's 1950 painting 'Number 1'?
Answer
Lavender Mist
Who was the youngest of the first-generation Abstract Expressionist painters?
Answer
Robert Motherwell
Which painting by Willem de Kooning sold for $137.5 million in 2006?
Answer
Woman III
Which painting by Clyfford Still sold for $61.7 million in 2011?
Answer
1949-A-No.1
Which Abstract Expressionist artist died by suicide in 1970?
Answer
Mark Rothko
Which Abstract Expressionist is known for her 'soak-stain' painting technique?
Answer
Helen Frankenthaler
Who was Jackson Pollock's wife and fellow Abstract Expressionist?
Answer
Lee Krasner
Which artist is known for his 'zip' paintings?
Answer
Barnett Newman
Who was the only woman among the 'Irascible' Abstract Expressionist artists?
Answer
Hedda Sterne
Which artist is known for large black-and-white gestural paintings?
Answer
Franz Kline
Which series of paintings did Mark Rothko create for the Seagram Building?
Answer
Seagram Murals
What is the alternative title of Jackson Pollock's 'Number 11, 1952'?
Answer
Blue Poles
In what year did Jackson Pollock die?
Answer
1956
Which artist's painting 'Number 5, 1948' is one of the most expensive?
Answer
Jackson Pollock
What was the primary European influence on Abstract Expressionism?
Answer
Surrealism
Which male artist was married to painter Elaine de Kooning?
Answer
Willem de Kooning
Which city was the center of Abstract Expressionism?
Answer
New York City
Who is known for painting color fields of rectangular bands?
Answer
Mark Rothko
What term describes large canvases filled with blocks of color?
Answer
Color field painting
Which Abstract Expressionist painted 'Woman I'?
Answer
Willem de Kooning
Which artist is famous for his drip painting technique?
Answer
Jackson Pollock
Abstract Expressionism trivia — quick answers
What are good Abstract Expressionism trivia questions?
Good Abstract Expressionism trivia questions ask about major painters, landmark series, museums, critical terminology, and the movement’s visual ideas. Examples include identifying Barnett Newman’s Via Dolorosa-inspired series, naming Ad Reinhardt’s final black paintings, and recognizing the critic associated with the term “Action Painting.”
How hard is Abstract Expressionism trivia?
Abstract Expressionism trivia is usually moderate to difficult because it depends on artist names, series titles, museum history, and art criticism. Basic questions may identify leading painters, while harder questions distinguish related terms such as “Action Painting” and Harold Rosenberg’s description of painting as an event.
What is Abstract Expressionism known for?
Abstract Expressionism is known for large-scale, nonrepresentational paintings that emphasize gesture, process, emotion, spontaneity, and visual intensity. The movement included varied approaches, from Jackson Pollock’s poured paint to Mark Rothko’s color fields. It emerged in the United States during the 1940s and became especially influential in postwar New York.
What is Action Painting?
Action Painting describes an approach to Abstract Expressionism that emphasizes the physical act of painting. Artists may drip, fling, smear, or rapidly apply paint, making movement and process visible in the finished work. Art critic Harold Rosenberg popularized the term in a 1952 essay about the new American painting.