Morgan Russell, along with his like-minded colleague Stanton MacDonald-Wright, was the founder and champion of Synchronism, a rhythmic use of color analogous to musical composition that would be the first American non-objective theory of painting. With Synchronism, Russell would use color to define form, depth, and emotion without full abstraction. This theory was the culmination of Russell’s life work and interests in music, religion, philosophy, and science. An alumni of the Art Students League and the New York School of Art, Russell began his career as a sculptor and trained briefly under the tutelage of Henri Matisse. When he was exposed to Cubism, Orphism, and Futurism, he turned his attention to painting. In spite of his modernist leaning, Russell revered Old Master painters and had special affection for Michelangelo.