Above the Earth

Mark Tobey's Above the Earth (1953) is a gouache on board painting by the American artist known for his distinctive white writing style. Tobey (1890-1976) was a leading figure in the Northwest School of painting, and his work combined elements of Abstract Expressionism with the influence of Asian calligraphy and philosophy. Above the Earth features Tobey's characteristic all-over composition of fine, calligraphic white lines over a darker ground, creating a sense of energy and movement that suggests the experience of being above the earth.

Tobey's white writing style was a significant contribution to mid-20th-century abstraction, influencing the development of gesture-based painting.

This painting captures the experience of being above the earth through Tobey's distinctive white writing, the calligraphic lines creating a sense of movement and transcendence.