Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) was an influential American painter and a major figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement. Born in Cody, Wyoming, Pollock studied under Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League of New York. He became famous for his unique style of drip painting, in which he would lay canvases on the floor and pour or drip paint onto them in spontaneous gestures.

His most celebrated works include "Number 1A, 1948," "Autumn Rhythm," and "Blue Poles." Pollock's revolutionary approach to painting had a profound impact on the art world and helped establish New York as the center of the Western art world after World War II. He died in an alcohol-related car accident at the age of 44.