Jay DeFeo, Origin, 1956

A 1956 abstract painting rendered in oil on canvas by artist Jay DeFeo. An energetic expanse of cream, grey, and charcoal paint sweeps upward in a series of vertical, textured brushstrokes. The top and bottom of the canvas are dominated by shades of white and cream, while the middle section bleeds into shades of grey, each stroke capped with a thick, rounded tip. The accumulation of the many expressive marks resembles a wave, seen from above, as it crashes onto the shore.