Louis’s “Veil” paintings occupy a pivotal place in twentieth century art, providing a crucial link between Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism. Eliminating the gestural brushwork and spiritual underpinnings of his Abstract Expressionist predecessors, Louis paved the way for the clean lines, cool conceptualism, and process-based practices of the generations to follow.
Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Tate Modern, London; the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek; and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., among others.
Morris Louis was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1962 and soon after died at his home in Washington, D.C. on September 7, 1962. The cause of his illness was attributed to prolonged exposure to paint vapors. The following year, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York mounted a memorial exhibition of his paintings.