the collector's folio

Gene Davis Most Popular Paintings

The 25 artworks by Gene Davis our visitors ask for most, ranked by popularity and presented one by one, with the specification and the price of each hand-painted reproduction.

Edition 2026 · 25 artworks Each artwork painted to order
Linen canvas · Certificate of authenticity · Delivered worldwide Gene Davis · 1920 – 1985

Passion Flower

1968 · San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

Experience Gene Davis's 'Passion Flower': A vibrant explosion of color and rhythm! This iconic Color Field painting showcases bold vertical stripes, capturing energy & abstraction with a mesmerizing visual impact.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 1 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17737 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Shabazz

Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk · original 299 x 220 cm

Vibrant vertical stripes create a mesmerizing optical illusion in Shabazz by Color Field pioneer Gene Davis, offering a rhythmic explosion of color that invites you to bring this mid-century masterpiece into your collection.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 2 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17727 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Peeping Wall

1960 · original 244 x 229 cm

Vibrant vertical stripes of red, blue, and yellow define this striking Color Field masterpiece by Gene Davis, offering a rhythmic burst of mid-century abstraction for your collection.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 3 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17731 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1763229 × 244 cm Commission at original size

Black Grey Beat

1964 · original 231 x 475 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 4 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17745 × 22 cm Commission this artwork

Hot Beat

1964 · original 116 x 128 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 5 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17733 × 30 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$582128 × 116 cm Commission at original size

King Kong, from the portfolio Series I

1969 · original 61 x 76 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 6 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$28476 × 61 cm Commission at original size

Red Dog

1961 · original 246 x 248 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 7 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17732 × 31 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1910248 × 246 cm Commission at original size

Micro-Painting

1968 · original 2 x 2 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 8 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17732 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled

1964 · original 292 x 292 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 9 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17732 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Solar Skin

1964 · original 234 x 240 cm

Discover "Solar Skin" by gene davis – a vibrant 1964 Color Field painting showcasing dynamic stripes & optimistic energy. Explore geometric abstraction & bold color relationships.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 10 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17732 × 31 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1771240 × 234 cm Commission at original size

Triple Jump

1962 · original 23 x 231 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 11 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17749 × 20 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$304231 × 23 cm Commission at original size

Two Part Blue

1964 · original 243 x 283 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 12 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Flower Machine

1964 · original 240 x 282 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 13 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

(Series I, portfolio) King Kong

1969 · original 61 x 76 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 14 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$28476 × 61 cm Commission at original size

Yankee Doodle

1966 · original 241 x 305 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 15 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17736 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Bullet Proof, from the portfolio Series I

1969 · original 61 x 76 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 16 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17736 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$28476 × 61 cm Commission at original size

(Series I, portfolio) Tarzan

1969 · original 61 x 76 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 17 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$28476 × 61 cm Commission at original size

Tarzan (Series I)

1969 · original 61 x 76 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 18 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17736 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$28476 × 61 cm Commission at original size

Untitled

1985 · original 163 x 229 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 19 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17737 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1231229 × 163 cm Commission at original size

Red Witch

1966 · original 306 x 575 cm

Experience Gene Davis’ ‘Red Witch’ – a vibrant 1966 Op Art masterpiece! Bold stripes, dynamic energy & a striking black background create this iconic Color Field painting.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 20 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17745 × 22 cm Commission this artwork

Smithsonian Resident Associates Program 1985 (20th anniversary poster)

1985 · original 97 x 81 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 21 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17729 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$37981 × 97 cm Commission at original size

Night Patrol

1975 · original 176 x 231 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 22 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17736 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1326231 × 176 cm Commission at original size

Flower Machine

1964 · original 226 x 282 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 23 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

(Series I, portfolio) Bullet Proof

1969 · original 61 x 76 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 24 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$28476 × 61 cm Commission at original size

(Series I, portfolio) John Barley Corn

1969 · original 76 x 51 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 25 of 205 artworks by Gene Davis
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17726 × 39 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$26251 × 76 cm Commission at original size

The artist

Gene Davis

1920 – 1985

Quick facts

Died1985
Creative periodsmature period
Movementscolor field, color field painting
Top 3 worksPassion Flower, Shabazz, Peeping Wall
Topics exploredgeometric design, abstract, abstract art, vertical stripes, geometric
Color intensityvivid, balanced, monochromatic
Lifespan65 years
Works on APS205

Biography

The Architect of Color: The Life and Legacy of Gene Davis

In the vibrant tapestry of mid-century American abstraction, few threads shine as brightly or as rhythmically as those woven by Gene Davis. A pioneer of the Color Field movement, Davis possessed a singular ability to transform the canvas into a rhythmic experience of light and motion. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1920, his journey toward becoming a central figure of the Washington Color School was not one of immediate abstraction, but rather a gradual evolution shaped by a keen observational eye. Before he ever commanded the brush to create his iconic stripes, Davis worked as a sportswriter, a profession that demanded a sharp focus on movement, energy, and the unfolding drama of live events—elements that would later find their way into the pulsating verticality of his paintings.

The seeds of his abstract language were sown through deep engagement with European modernism. During his formative years, Davis found profound inspiration in the works of Paul Klee and Arshile Gorky, artists who demonstrated how form could be distilled into pure emotion and symbolic weight. By immersing himself in the masterpieces held within the Phillips Collection, he began to understand that color did not merely serve a subject; color was the subject. This realization set him on a path away from traditional representation and toward a revolutionary way of seeing, where the boundaries between shape and hue began to dissolve into pure, chromatic energy.

The Rhythm of the Stripe: Innovation and Technique

The year 1958 marked a seismic shift in Davis’s career and the broader trajectory of American art. It was during this period that he began producing his celebrated acrylic stripe paintings, a technique that would become his unmistakable signature. Moving away from the heavy, gestural textures of Abstract Expressionism, Davis embraced the flat, luminous qualities of acrylic paint. His compositions often featured monumental vertical bands of color that seemed to vibrate against one another, creating a sense of optical movement that drew the viewer into a hypnotic, rhythmic trance.

These works were far more than simple geometric exercises; they were explorations of space and perception. By utilizing the Washington Color School approach, Davis emphasized the primacy of color, allowing each stripe to interact with its neighbor through subtle shifts in value and saturation. His technique allowed for a unique kind of "breathing" within the painting, where the eye is encouraged to dance vertically across the canvas. This mastery of repetition and rhythm allowed him to capture the essence of urban energy and natural light, translating the chaos of the modern world into a structured, yet profoundly fluid, visual language.

A Lasting Impression on American Abstraction

As a cornerstone of the Washington Color School alongside contemporaries like Morris Louis and Kenneth Nurtland, Gene Davis helped redefine the boundaries of post-painterly abstraction. His work stood as a testament to the power of restraint and the infinite possibilities found within a limited palette. Even in his later works, such as the evocative Night Rider from 1983, one can see his ability to blend bold hues with complex imagery, proving that his mastery of color could support deep, symbolic narratives.

The historical significance of Gene Davis lies in his role as a bridge between the intense emotionality of early abstraction and the cool, calculated precision of later Color Field painting. His legacy is found in every canvas that prioritizes the sensory experience of color over the depiction of form. Through his rhythmic stripes, he left behind a visual symphony that continues to resonate with collectors and art enthusiasts worldwide, reminding us that art can be both profoundly simple and infinitely complex.

Questions & Answers

How do I find works by Gene Davis in a specific palette?

The By Palettes page groups Gene Davis's artworks by their color palettes.

Can I explore Gene Davis's works by subject?

The Subject Atlas page maps Gene Davis's artworks by subject.

Can I browse Gene Davis's works by mood?

The artist's Mood Room page shows Gene Davis's artworks arranged by their atmosphere.

By the WikiOO.org Editorial Team Updated Sept. 1, 2026

Collector's quiz

What artistic movement is Gene Davis primarily associated with?
Gene Davis began his art career in what profession before turning to painting?
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Gene Davis’s artistic style is characterized by what approach to color?

one You choose the size

Standard formats or any custom dimension, matched to the proportions of the original.

two We paint and send a preview

A photo of the finished canvas for your approval before it is shipped.

three Delivered, certified

Rolled, stretched or framed, insured, with a certificate of authenticity.

Commission your Gene Davis

Every artwork by Gene Davis in our catalog can be painted to order, in the size that suits the room.

All artworks by Gene Davis