Untitled (1964) is the most famous painting by David Smith. Hudson River Landscape (1951) and Cubi i are the next two works the world knows best. From the 19 works of David Smith in our catalogue, here are the 18 that collectors and museum visitors look at most, with the year, the museum and the story of each.
Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated October 2026.
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by David Smith | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Whitney Museum of American Art |
New York | 1 | Hudson River Landscape |
14 years of David Smith's painting, 1951 to 1964, told year by year through its best-known works.
Untitled (1964). Next come Hudson River Landscape (1951) and Cubi i.
58 years old: Untitled dates from 1964 and David Smith was born in 1906.
Untitled, Hudson River Landscape, Cubi i, Three planes, N08744 46 lr, Saw head, (1933), 5 And A Half (Use Half Sign), Suspended cube, Untitled and Zig iv. The ranking above gives the year and the museum of each.
Our catalogue lists 19 works by David Smith, dated from 1951 to 1964.
Most of them are in Whitney Museum of American Art (New York). The table above lists the museums one by one.
The earliest on this page is Hudson River Landscape (1951), the latest Untitled (1964).
Abstract expressionism, as the paintings on this page show.
Born in Decatur, United States, David Smith was a sculptor, painter, designer, photographer, artist, writer, and visual artist. His creative journey involved studying at Ohio University and Notre Dame, and he worked on the assembly line of the Studebaker automobile factory in South Bend, Indiana. After moving to New York in 1926, he studied at the Art Students League of New York. During the Great Depression, he participated in the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project. Smith later moved to Bolton Landing, New York, where he operated a studio. During World War II, he worked as a welder for the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, New York.
His sculptural work is characterized by the use of industrial steel, which he manipulated using an oxyacetylene torch to weld metal. He often created unique works by cutting, plugging, flattening, pinching, and bending steel bars. His output included various series, such as the Agricolas and the Cubi series, which featured stainless steel. In his later years, he utilized spray paint to create stenciled shapes. Beyond sculpture, Smith produced drawings and paintings, including a series known as the Last Nudes.
Smith's body of work includes several recognized pieces, such as:
His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions globally, including the Venice Biennale and the São Paulo Bienal. His sculptures have been held in collections such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
