Newman died of a heart attack in New York City. He was unappreciated as an artist for much of his life, being overlooked in favour of more colorful characters such as Jackson Pollock. He was not a fan of Mark Rothko, his great rival in color field painting. Some critics wrote admiringly about him, but it was not until the end of his life that he began to be taken seriously. He was, however, an important influence on many younger artists.