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Biography

Before he transitioned to work in three dimensions, Donald Judd (b. 1928, Excelsior Springs, MO, d. 1994, New York) began as a painter and an art critic, having studied philosophy and art history at Columbia University and painting at the Art Students League. In 1977, Judd established the ideas for the Judd Foundation and in 1986 he founded the Chinati Foundation/La Fundación Chinati. For almost four decades, Judd exhibited extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia with his work in museum collections worldwide including Kunstmuseum Basel; Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Tate Gallery, London; and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, among many others. Major exhibitions of his work include the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (1968, 1988); the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (1975); Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven (1970, 1987–88); Tate Modern, London (2004); and The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2020-2021).

Selected Works

Selected Works Thumbnails
Donald Judd untitled, 1989 based on a 1962 prototype sandpaint, glass, plywood 46 1/2 x 46 1/2 x 4 in. (118.1 x 118.1 x 10.2 cm)

Donald Judd
untitled, 1989
based on a 1962 prototype
sandpaint, glass, plywood
46 1/2 x 46 1/2 x 4 in. (118.1 x 118.1 x 10.2 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled, 1969 blue lacquer on galvanized iron 5 x 40 x 9 in. (12.7 x 101.6 x 22.9 cm)
Donald Judd Untitled, (detail), 1969 blue lacquer on galvanized iron 5 x 40 x 9 in. (12.7 x 101.6 x 22.9 cm)
Donald Judd Untitled, 1969 blue lacquer on galvanized iron 5 x 40 x 9 in. (12.7 x 101.6 x 22.9 cm)

Donald Judd
Untitled, 1969
blue lacquer on galvanized iron
5 x 40 x 9 in. (12.7 x 101.6 x 22.9 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled, 1960 oil on canvas 42 1/8 x 36 in. (107 x 91.4 cm) signed, dated, and inscribed verso: "TL: J60" DJ/P-158-PTG
Donald Judd Untitled, (detail), 1960 oil on canvas 42 1/8 x 36 in. (107 x 91.4 cm) signed, dated, and inscribed verso: "TL: J60" DJ/P-158-PTG
Donald Judd Untitled, 1960 oil on canvas 42 1/8 x 36 in. (107 x 91.4 cm) signed, dated, and inscribed verso: "TL: J60" DJ/P-158-PTG

Donald Judd
Untitled, 1960
oil on canvas
42 1/8 x 36 in. (107 x 91.4 cm)
signed, dated, and inscribed verso: "TL: J60"
DJ/P-158-PTG

Donald Judd Untitled, 1989 douglas fir plywood 2 units, each: 19 5/8 x 39 3/8 x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 100 x 50 cm) overall: 19 5/8 x 98  x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 250 x 50 cm)

Donald Judd
Untitled, 1989
douglas fir plywood
2 units, each: 19 5/8 x 39 3/8 x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 100 x 50 cm)
overall: 19 5/8 x 98  x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 250 x 50 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled (14-R), 1982 wood-block in clear sugar pine wood 25 1/4 x 16 x 2 in. (64.1 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm)

Donald Judd
Untitled (14-R), 1982
wood-block in clear sugar pine wood
25 1/4 x 16 x 2 in. (64.1 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm)

Donald Judd Wood Block (16R), 1989 cadmium red on sugar pine wood 16 x 20 3/4 x 2 in. (40 x 51.88 x 5 cm)

Donald Judd
Wood Block (16R), 1989
cadmium red on sugar pine wood
16 x 20 3/4 x 2 in. (40 x 51.88 x 5 cm)

Donald Judd untitled, 1965 galvanized iron 6 x 27 x 24 in. (15.2 x 68.6 x 61 cm)

Donald Judd
untitled, 1965
galvanized iron
6 x 27 x 24 in. (15.2 x 68.6 x 61 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled (11-L), 1961-63/1969 woodcut in cerulean blue on cartridge paper image: 26 1/4 x 16 3/4 in. (66.7 x 42.5 cm) paper: 29 1/4 x 21 in. (74.3 x 53.3 cm) Edition AP 12 of edition of 12 on cartridge paper ​edition of 12 on etching paper

Donald Judd
Untitled (11-L), 1961-63/1969
woodcut in cerulean blue on cartridge paper
image: 26 1/4 x 16 3/4 in. (66.7 x 42.5 cm)
paper: 29 1/4 x 21 in. (74.3 x 53.3 cm)
Edition AP 12 of edition of 12 on cartridge paper
edition of 12 on etching paper

Donald Judd untitled, 1989 based on a 1962 prototype sandpaint, glass, plywood 46 1/2 x 46 1/2 x 4 in. (118.1 x 118.1 x 10.2 cm)

Donald Judd
untitled, 1989
based on a 1962 prototype
sandpaint, glass, plywood
46 1/2 x 46 1/2 x 4 in. (118.1 x 118.1 x 10.2 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled, 1969 blue lacquer on galvanized iron 5 x 40 x 9 in. (12.7 x 101.6 x 22.9 cm)

Donald Judd
Untitled, 1969
blue lacquer on galvanized iron
5 x 40 x 9 in. (12.7 x 101.6 x 22.9 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled, 1960 oil on canvas 42 1/8 x 36 in. (107 x 91.4 cm) signed, dated, and inscribed verso: "TL: J60" DJ/P-158-PTG

Donald Judd
Untitled, 1960
oil on canvas
42 1/8 x 36 in. (107 x 91.4 cm)
signed, dated, and inscribed verso: "TL: J60"
DJ/P-158-PTG

Donald Judd Untitled, 1989 douglas fir plywood 2 units, each: 19 5/8 x 39 3/8 x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 100 x 50 cm) overall: 19 5/8 x 98  x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 250 x 50 cm)

Donald Judd
Untitled, 1989
douglas fir plywood
2 units, each: 19 5/8 x 39 3/8 x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 100 x 50 cm)
overall: 19 5/8 x 98  x 19 5/8 in. (50 x 250 x 50 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled (14-R), 1982 wood-block in clear sugar pine wood 25 1/4 x 16 x 2 in. (64.1 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm)

Donald Judd
Untitled (14-R), 1982
wood-block in clear sugar pine wood
25 1/4 x 16 x 2 in. (64.1 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm)

Donald Judd Wood Block (16R), 1989 cadmium red on sugar pine wood 16 x 20 3/4 x 2 in. (40 x 51.88 x 5 cm)

Donald Judd
Wood Block (16R), 1989
cadmium red on sugar pine wood
16 x 20 3/4 x 2 in. (40 x 51.88 x 5 cm)

Donald Judd untitled, 1965 galvanized iron 6 x 27 x 24 in. (15.2 x 68.6 x 61 cm)

Donald Judd
untitled, 1965
galvanized iron
6 x 27 x 24 in. (15.2 x 68.6 x 61 cm)

Donald Judd Untitled (11-L), 1961-63/1969 woodcut in cerulean blue on cartridge paper image: 26 1/4 x 16 3/4 in. (66.7 x 42.5 cm) paper: 29 1/4 x 21 in. (74.3 x 53.3 cm) Edition AP 12 of edition of 12 on cartridge paper ​edition of 12 on etching paper

Donald Judd
Untitled (11-L), 1961-63/1969
woodcut in cerulean blue on cartridge paper
image: 26 1/4 x 16 3/4 in. (66.7 x 42.5 cm)
paper: 29 1/4 x 21 in. (74.3 x 53.3 cm)
Edition AP 12 of edition of 12 on cartridge paper
edition of 12 on etching paper