White Ground-Red Halo by Adolph Gottlieb (1966)

A red circle glows on pale ground. This is White Ground-Red Halo, painted in 1966. The halo isn’t perfect—its edges fray into thin, uneven strokes. Below, a small black disc sits off-center, like a planet orbiting an unstable sun. The white field isn’t blank; faint pencil marks sketch a horizon line, barely there but holding the composition in place. Hang it where morning light hits the wall. The red will soften, the white will brighten, and the room will feel quieter.