Kenneth Noland, considered by some to be the greatest colourist since Matisse, was an artist whose work transcended the evolution of modern art.

His geometric compositions and experiments in colour relations saw him described as an abstract expressionist in the 1950s and a minimalist in the ’60s, but later critics re-examined him as a practitioner of the colour field technique, whose work should be judged by its subconsciously pleasing nature rather than any meaning that might be erroneously applied to it.

Throughout his career, begun in the 1950s after study in Paris and Washington DC, his work fell into four categories of form: targets, chevrons, stripes and shaped canvases. Influenced by Piet Mondrian, he worked prolifically to explore the infinite possibilities that could be achieved using these simple shapes and a vivid palette.

His paintings formed several major exhibitions at prestigious galleries in New York, Washington, Paris, London and other international art centres, and works grace many of the key modern art collections around the world.

Kenneth Noland died at the age of 85 on 5 January, 2010, at his home in Port Clyde, Maine.