Painter, b. 1912 - d. 1956

Jackson Pollock was an American painter who made an international name for himself with his innovative approach to Abstract Expressionism. He became celebrated for dripping and throwing paint onto large canvases in a signature technique that showcased the dynamic properties of paint. Today, Pollock’s paintings are featured in galleries all over the world, and he has earned a reputation as one of the 20th century’s most renowned artists.

About Jackson Pollock

• Artist Name: Jackson Pollock


• Alias: Jack the Dripper, Jackson N. Pollock, Paul Jackson Pollock


• Profession: Painter


• Nationality: American

“When I am in my painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing. The painting has a life of its own.”

Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was an American painter who altered the fabric of 20th-century art history with his revolutionary abstract techniques, which famously involved dripping and splattering paint onto canvases laid on the floor. His innovative approach went beyond traditional methods of painting and representing, instead emphasizing the physical act of creation, along with the raw expression of emotion and energy.

From 1935, Pollock entered a seven-year period in which his artistic practice was supported by the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project. Pollock’s career received a boost in 1943 when he caught the eye of the prominent arts patron, Peggy Guggenheim, who invited him to hold his first solo exhibition in her Art of This Century Gallery. Guggenheim continued to patronize the artist until 1947, allowing him to pursue his practice full-time. His career reached a mainstream audience in 1949, when Life magazine featured his iconic drip paintings on a four-page spread.

Pollock drew from countless sources, including Navajo sand paintings and Surrealism, to develop his signature techniques. His paintings can be found on display in galleries all over the world, including New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, London’s Tate Modern, and Argentina’s Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

Related Styles and Movements

• Abstract Expressionism


• Abstraction

Highlights and Achievements

• Jackson Pollock’s painting prices at auction reflect his enduring status in the art world. His oil, enamel, and aluminum painting Number 17, 1949 sold for $22,930,000 in November 2015 via Sotheby’s.


• Pollock is one of the most renowned figureheads of Abstract Art, in particular Abstract Expressionism.

Read Full Artist Biography