“This energetic abstract painting, created on the floor of a bedroom, reveals a pivotal moment in the artist's journey, where spontaneous action and chance effects became primary, paving the way for his iconic drip paintings.”
A swirling vortex of lines and forms, this painting, titled "The Key," draws you into a dynamic, almost chaotic, visual experience. Created in 1946, it was painted on the floor of an upstairs bedroom, a process that allowed the artist to work on the canvas directly from all sides. While you might discern a vague sense of landscape within the energetic brushstrokes, the true subject here is the act of painting itself. The spontaneous, gestural application of oil on linen expresses the power of chance and immediate action. This abstraction, with its expressive marks and all-over composition, foreshadows the famous drip paintings that would emerge in the following year, marking a pivotal moment in the artist's development.
- Artist
- William H. Key
- Medium
- Oil on linen
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- Unframed: 149.8 × 208.3 cm (59 × 82 1/16 in.); 149.9 × 208.3 cm (59 × 82 in.)
- Collection
- Contemporary Art
- Culture
- United States
- Credit line
- Through prior gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Morris
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
Look for the black, calligraphic lines that crisscross the canvas.
Observe the subtle hints of color, like ochre and blue, emerging from the layers.
Notice how the brushstrokes create a sense of continuous motion.
See if you can find any shapes that suggest natural forms, like trees or water.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through The Key — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
William H. Key
1832–1922 · United StatesWilliam H. Key was an American engraver and medalist, whose work included creating intricate designs for coins and commemorative medals.
Further Works by Key
"The Bath," a dripping spring in Kanab Cañon. Temperature, 69° Fahr, No. 9 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian"
1872 · Art Institute of Chicago
Ahem—Those jokes about absent minded professors
Art Institute of Chicago
Jitterbugs II
Art Institute of Chicago
Ship with Sails Furled and Arrow Pointing to the Right
Art Institute of Chicago
The Jazz Wall
Art Institute of Chicago
"Who knows what Eloise did wrong?"
Art Institute of Chicago
![[Group of 266 Stereograph Views of the 1855 and/or 1867 Universal Expositions in Paris, France]](https://images.artwhisper.app/artworks/e8adc86e-83bb-42d8-b41d-d50a022b482d/f775c7e9-f7fb-467d-b822-15e581560708_sm.jpg)
[Group of 266 Stereograph Views of the 1855 and/or 1867 Universal Expositions in Paris, France]
1850 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Bugle in C
The Metropolitan Museum of Art