"A constant searching of oneself" -- [pt. 1:] 1940s. Jackson Pollock -- The Moon-woman cuts the circle -- Arshile Gorky -- Water of the flowery mill -- Hans Hofmann -- Bacchanale -- Ad Reinhardt -- How to look at modem art in America -- William Baziotes -- Cyclops -- Jackson Pollock -- Full fathom five -- Philip Guston -- The tormentors -- Barnett Newman -- Onement I -- Mark Rothko -- Untitled -- Lee Krasner -- Untitled -- Clyfford Still -- 1949-H -- Bradley Walker Tomlin -- All souls' night, no.2 -- [pt. 2:] 1950s. Willem De Kooning -- Excavation -- Barnett Newman -- The wild -- Jackson Pollock -- Number 1, 1950 (lavender mist) -- Willem De Kooning -- Woman I -- David Smith -- Hudson River landscape -- Mark Tobey -- Universal City -- Sam Francis -- Saint Honore -- Ad Reinhardt -- Number 5 (red wall) -- Richard Diebenkorn -- Urbana no.6 -- Jackson Pollock -- Easter and the totem -- Robert Motherwell -- Elegy to the Spanish Republic, No. 34 -- Mark Rothko -- Ochre and red on red -- Philip Guston -- For M -- Lee Krasner -- Bald eagle -- Joan Mitchell -- Hemlock -- Helen Frankenthaler -- Seven types of ambiguity -- Adolph Gottlieb -- Blast, I, 1957 -- Franz Kline -- Untitled -- Barnett Newman -- First station -- Hans Hofmann -- Pompeii -- Theodoros Stamos -- Documenta Ii -- [pt. 3:] 1960s. Ad Reinhardt -- Abstract painting no. 34 -- Mark Rothko -- Rothko Chapel.

This volume presents an introduction to abstract expressionism with approximately 30 photographs, plus a time line of the most important events (political, cultural, scientific, sporting, etc.) that took place during the time period. The body of the book contains a selection of the most important works of the epoch; each is presented on a 2-page spread with a full-page image and, on the facing page, a description/interpretation of the work, a reference work, portrait of the artist, quotes, and biographical information. "Abstract expressionism" refers to the non-representational use of form and color as a means of expression that emerged in America in the 1940s, largely thanks to the innovative work of Arshile Gorky. Interestingly, abstract expressionism is considered to be the first art movement originating in America to have a worldwide influence. Two very different sub-categories of the movement developed: "action painting" (exemplified notably by Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock) and "color field painting," made most famous by Mark Rothko. Abstract expressionists strove to express pure emotion directly on canvas, via color and especially texture (the surface quality of the brush stroke), by embracing "accidents," and celebrating painting itself as a communicative action.