Chief is a prime example of Franz Kline’s poser tendencies.

His work looks like it’s just a spur-of-the-moment inspiration transferred from brain to canvas without regard for consequences, but they're not. Kline made studies of and planned extensively all of his works. But that wasn’t chill at the height of the fame of “action painters” like de Kooning and Pollock so he made it look like he was a free spirit.

Before this painting was made, Kline was stuck on a figurative role drawing and painting like furniture and lame stuff like that. It wasn’t until his good friend de Kooning invited him over to see his nifty new toy - a projector. When Kline blew up his dumb little drawings, his mind was blown, his aesthetic was finally discovered, and the rest is art history.

This painting was inspired by a train called Chief (the namesake of this painting) that ran through his hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Kline was highly preoccupied with machines and trains and other stereotypical toddler boy things. This industrial, mechanical interest transferred into his medium in a fun way and instead of using bourgey, fancy paint, Kline when for something more efficient - house paint. Kline’s gallerist wasn’t particularly sold on the idea of house paint because it meant the works wouldn’t cost as much so he broke into Kline’s studio and replaced all the house paint with the good stuff. Kline response was a small WTF moment and a trip to the hardware store for house paint followed by no change in his habits whatsoever. His gallerist was thrilled.