Ulysses

Barnett Newman’s Ulysses: A Vertical Divide That Redefines Space

Few works in abstract art command attention with the quiet authority of Barnett Newman’s Ulysses. This painting, a cornerstone of Abstract Expressionism, strips composition to its essence: a single, razor-sharp vertical band—Newman’s signature "zip"—dividing a field of deep, resonant color. Unlike the gestural frenzy of Pollock or the chromatic explosions of Rothko, Newman’s approach is architectural. The zip doesn’t merely bisect the canvas; it activates the space around it, forcing the viewer to confront the tension between division and unity. As the Museum of Modern Art observes in its analysis of Newman’s later works, his vertical lines were never passive; they were "events" that redefined the viewer’s relationship to the picture plane.

The title Ulysses invites literary association, yet Newman’s abstraction resists narrative. There is no odyssey here, no hero’s journey—only the immediate, physical presence of color and line. The painting’s scale, even in this 30×40 cm iteration, retains the monumentality of Newman’s larger canvases. The edges of the zip are not painted but taped, a technique that eliminates the artist’s hand and emphasizes the work’s objecthood. This was Newman’s radical proposition: painting as an encounter, not an illusion. The framed print preserves this confrontation, its matte surface and precise gallery framing ensuring the original’s spatial dynamics translate intact to the wall.

Newman and the Sublime in Abstraction

By the late 1940s, Barnett Newman had rejected the chaotic energy of Action Painting in favor of what he called "zips"—vertical bands that structured the canvas like columns in a temple. These were not decorative flourishes but existential markers. Newman’s contemporaries often dismissed his work as overly austere, yet his insistence on simplicity was a rebellion against European tradition. As he wrote in 1948, "The image we produce is the self-evident one of revelation, real and concrete." Ulysses embodies this philosophy: the zip is not a line but a threshold, a point of passage between the viewer and the void.

The artist’s relationship with myth—here invoking Homer’s wanderer—was less about storytelling than about scale. Newman’s titles, from Vir Heroicus Sublimis to Ulysses, signaled his ambition to restore grandeur to modern art. The Tate’s retrospective of Newman’s work emphasizes how his canvases demanded physical engagement: "They are not windows into another world but objects that confront the viewer in this one." This framed print, with its precise proportions and archival materials, preserves that confrontational power, transforming any wall into a site of visual meditation.

Newman’s Ulysses is a painting about looking—as much about the act of perception as the object perceived. The zip doesn’t divide the canvas; it creates it, turning empty space into an active field.

The Precision Behind the Simplicity

Composition: The Zip as Structural Spine

The vertical band in Ulysses is not centered but positioned with deliberate asymmetry, creating unequal fields of color that generate tension. Newman’s zips were never arbitrary; their placement was calculated to disrupt balance while achieving harmony. The edges of the zip are straight yet soft, the result of masking tape applied to wet paint—a technique that eliminated brushstrokes and reinforced the work’s object-like presence.

Color: Depth Without Illusion

The surrounding color field in Ulysses appears uniform at a distance, but up close, subtle variations in texture and hue emerge. Newman used industrial paints thinned to stain the raw canvas, allowing the weave to remain visible. This method ensured the color didn’t sit on the surface but was the surface—a distinction that defined his approach. The framed print replicates this effect with archival inks on textured paper, preserving the original’s luminous depth.

Where to Hang Ulysses: A Guide to Placement

Newman’s work thrives in spaces that allow for contemplation. The 30×40 cm dimensions of this print make it ideal for a study, library, or minimalist living room, where its verticality can anchor a wall without overwhelming it. Hang it at eye level in a narrow hallway to amplify the zip’s directional force, or center it above a console table to create a focal point. The painting’s muted palette—deep blues, blacks, or umbers, depending on the light—pairs best with neutral walls (think warm whites or soft grays) and natural wood tones. Avoid busy patterns nearby; Ulysses demands solitude to unfold its power.

More Works by Barnett Newman

Discover the evolution of Newman’s vertical language through these key compositions, each available as a framed print with the same archival quality.

Barnett Newman

Canto Xll

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Barnett Newman

Canto V

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Barnett Newman

Canto Xi

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Barnett Newman

Canto Viii

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