What is a monochromatic painting?

Monochrome paintings are composed of a single color or tone. Some definitions of monochromatic allow for the use of black and white as well. ?White Square on White? by Kazimir Malevich is a well-known example of a monochrome painting.

Monochrome paintings are not always abstract. They may be representational, in which case, an artist uses tones of a single color, and perhaps black and white, to create an image. Painters working in monochrome during the 1960s are considered forebears of the minimalist movement. Aleksandr Rodchenko is one of the artists who brought attention to monochromatic painting. Frank Stella and Olivier Mosset also worked with monochromatic compositions in the mid-20th century.