Helen Frankenthaler, Saturn, 1963, Acrylic on canvas, 104 x 47 3/4 in, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Collection © 2016 Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc./ARSNY
A fiery, burnt orange glow dominates Saturn. In this painting, Frankenthaler is not rendering a literal depiction of the planet, but rather the essence of a celestial body through its compact forms and intense colors. After 1962, Frankenthaler preferred using acrylic paint in her soak-stain technique as it dried more quickly than oil paint and provided brighter, more vivid colors on the surface.