Where to buy...Helen Frankenthaler

Knoedler & Co., New York

In its most familiar mode, abstract painting is an art of effusion: outpourings of angst so raw you can practically see blood and tears in every brushstroke. Pioneering a near-opposite tack, American artist Helen Frankenthaler came to prominence in the 1950s by diluting paint so that the still-vibrant colors could stain the canvas sans brush. Frankenthaler’s interest in the Japanese woodcut—a classic technique for applying paint indirectly—is a logical extension of this hands-off approach. The resulting prints, the stars of this show, achieve a tranquil and understated poetry you won’t find in the tumultuous bluster of a Jackson Pollock. 19 E. 70th St., (212) 794-0564. Through March 11. Woodcuts start at $9,000.