Gene Davis (1920–1985) was an American painter, journalist, and writer whose work helped establish Washington, D.C., as a significant center for contemporary art in the 20th century. Largely self-taught, Davis developed his artistic knowledge through extensive visits to museums and galleries in New York and Washington, cultivating a deep understanding of color, composition, and abstraction.

By the 1960s, Davis had emerged as a leading figure of the Washington Color School, a collective of abstract painters based in the capital. His contributions extended nationally, positioning him as a key participant in the broader Color Abstraction movement. Davis’ signature stripe paintings exemplify his focus on the effects of color, rhythm, and interval, exploring how subtle variations in hue and spacing can produce complex visual and emotional responses.

To engage with his work, Davis advised:

“Instead of simply glancing at the work, select a specific color—and take the time to see how it operates across the painting.—Enter the painting through the door of a single color, and then you can understand what my painting is all about.”

Regarding his stripe compositions, he emphasized the concept of “color interval”: the rhythmic, almost musical, effects produced by the irregular appearance of colors or shades within a composition. Through these investigations, Davis created paintings that are as much about perception and experience as they are about form, leaving a lasting legacy in American abstract art.