diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 799aaf6..c929661 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ ChangeLog
 +------------+------------------------------------------------------------------------+------------+
 | Version    | Description                                                            | Date       |
 +============+========================================================================+============+
+| *Upcoming* | * Change MAX7219's block_orientation to support ±90° angle correction  |            |
++------------+------------------------------------------------------------------------+------------+
 | **0.7.0**  | * **BREAKING CHANGE:** Move sevensegment class to                      | 2017/03/04 |
 |            |   ``luma.led_matrix.virtual`` package                                  |            |
 |            | * Documentation updates & corrections                                  |            |
diff --git a/doc/install.rst b/doc/install.rst
index f250ac3..a64a00f 100644
--- a/doc/install.rst
+++ b/doc/install.rst
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ matrices::
 
     $ python examples/matrix_demo.py -h
     usage: matrix_demo.py [-h] [--cascaded CASCADED]
-                          [--block-orientation {horizontal,vertical}]
+                          [--block-orientation {0, 90, -90}]
 
     matrix_demo arguments
 
@@ -134,9 +134,9 @@ matrices::
     -h, --help            show this help message and exit
     --cascaded CASCADED, -n CASCADED
                           Number of cascaded MAX7219 LED matrices (default: 1)
-    --block-orientation {horizontal,vertical}
+    --block-orientation {0, 90, -90}
                           Corrects block orientation when wired vertically
-                          (default: horizontal)
+                          (default: 0)
 
 Similarly, there is a basic demo of the capabilities of the
 :py:class:`luma.led_matrix.virtual.sevensegment` wrapper::
diff --git a/doc/python-usage.rst b/doc/python-usage.rst
index 3dea863..b09d99f 100644
--- a/doc/python-usage.rst
+++ b/doc/python-usage.rst
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ below,
    from luma.led_matrix.device import max7219
    from luma.core.legacy.font import proportional, LCD_FONT
 
-   serial = spi(port=0, device=0, gpio=noop(), block_orientation="vertical")
+   serial = spi(port=0, device=0, gpio=noop(), block_orientation=-90)
    device = max7219(serial, width=32, height=24)
 
    with canvas(device) as draw:
@@ -202,8 +202,9 @@ out-of-phase such that horizontal scrolling appears as below:
 .. image:: images/block_reorientation.gif
    :alt: block alignment
 
-This can be rectified by initializing the :py:class:`~luma.led_matrix.device.max7219` 
-device with a parameter of :py:attr:`block_orientation="vertical"`:
+This can be rectified by initializing the :py:class:`~luma.led_matrix.device.max7219`
+device with a parameter of :py:attr:`block_orientation=-90` (or +90, if your device is
+aligned the other way):
 
 .. code:: python
 
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@ device with a parameter of :py:attr:`block_orientation="vertical"`:
    from luma.led_matrix.device import max7219
 
    serial = spi(port=0, device=0, gpio=noop())
-   device = max7219(serial, cascaded=4, block_orientation="vertical")
+   device = max7219(serial, cascaded=4, block_orientation=-90)
 
 Every time a display render is subsequenly requested, the underlying image
 representation is corrected to reverse the 90° phase shift.
diff --git a/examples/box_demo.py b/examples/box_demo.py
index 4d0ce9e..fad975a 100755
--- a/examples/box_demo.py
+++ b/examples/box_demo.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def demo(w, h, block_orientation, rotate):
 
     parser.add_argument('--width', type=int, default=8, help='Width')
     parser.add_argument('--height', type=int, default=8, help='height')
-    parser.add_argument('--block-orientation', type=str, default='vertical', choices=['horizontal', 'vertical'], help='Corrects block orientation when wired vertically')
+    parser.add_argument('--block-orientation', type=int, default=-90, choices=[0, 90, -90], help='Corrects block orientation when wired vertically')
     parser.add_argument('--rotate', type=int, default=0, choices=[0, 1, 2, 3], help='Rotation factor')
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
diff --git a/examples/matrix_demo.py b/examples/matrix_demo.py
index 7ca0f1f..a01558f 100755
--- a/examples/matrix_demo.py
+++ b/examples/matrix_demo.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def demo(n, block_orientation):
         formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter)
 
     parser.add_argument('--cascaded', '-n', type=int, default=1, help='Number of cascaded MAX7219 LED matrices')
-    parser.add_argument('--block-orientation', type=str, default='horizontal', choices=['horizontal', 'vertical'], help='Corrects block orientation when wired vertically')
+    parser.add_argument('--block-orientation', type=str, default=0, choices=[0, 90, -90], help='Corrects block orientation when wired vertically')
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
diff --git a/luma/led_matrix/device.py b/luma/led_matrix/device.py
index 6c2c68c..7158f6e 100644
--- a/luma/led_matrix/device.py
+++ b/luma/led_matrix/device.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 from luma.core.serial import noop
 from luma.core.device import device
+from luma.core.util import deprecation
 import luma.core.error
 import luma.led_matrix.const
 
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ class max7219(device):
     commands can then be called to affect the brightness and other settings.
     """
     def __init__(self, serial_interface=None, width=8, height=8, cascaded=None, rotate=0,
-                 block_orientation="horizontal", **kwargs):
+                 block_orientation=0, **kwargs):
         super(max7219, self).__init__(luma.led_matrix.const.max7219, serial_interface)
 
         # Derive (override) the width and height if a cascaded param supplied
@@ -59,9 +60,27 @@ def __init__(self, serial_interface=None, width=8, height=8, cascaded=None, rota
             raise luma.core.error.DeviceDisplayModeError(
                 "Unsupported display mode: {0} x {1}".format(width, height))
 
+        assert block_orientation in [0, 90, -90, "horizontal", "vertical"]
+        if block_orientation == "vertical":
+            msg = (
+                "WARNING! block_orientation=\"vertical\" is now deprecated and "
+                "should be changed to block_orientation=-90 to acheive the same "
+                "effect. Use of \"vertical\" will be removed entirely beginning "
+                "v1.0.0")
+            deprecation(msg)
+            self._correction_angle = -90
+        elif block_orientation == "horizontal":
+            msg = (
+                "WARNING! block_orientation=\"horizontal\" is now deprecated and "
+                "should be changed to block_orientation=0 to acheive the same "
+                "effect. Use of \"horizontal\" will be removed entirely beginning "
+                "v1.0.0")
+            deprecation(msg)
+            self._correction_angle = 0
+        else:
+            self._correction_angle = block_orientation
+
         self.cascaded = cascaded or (width * height) // 64
-        assert(block_orientation in ["horizontal", "vertical"])
-        self._block_orientation = block_orientation
         self._offsets = [(y * self._w) + x
                          for y in range(self._h - 8, -8, -8)
                          for x in range(self._w - 8, -8, -8)]
@@ -77,18 +96,18 @@ def __init__(self, serial_interface=None, width=8, height=8, cascaded=None, rota
 
     def preprocess(self, image):
         """
-        Performs the inherited behviour (if any), and if the LED matrix is
-        declared to being a common row cathode, each 8x8 block of pixels
-        is rotated 90° clockwise.
+        Performs the inherited behviour (if any), and if the LED matrix
+        orientation is declared to need correction, each 8x8 block of pixels
+        is rotated 90° clockwise or counter-clockwise.
         """
         image = super(max7219, self).preprocess(image)
 
-        if self._block_orientation == "vertical":
+        if self._correction_angle != 0:
             image = image.copy()
             for y in range(0, self._h, 8):
                 for x in range(0, self._w, 8):
                     box = (x, y, x + 8, y + 8)
-                    rotated_block = image.crop(box).rotate(-90)
+                    rotated_block = image.crop(box).rotate(self._correction_angle)
                     image.paste(rotated_block, box)
 
         return image
diff --git a/luma/led_matrix/legacy.py b/luma/led_matrix/legacy.py
index 0b5dcf9..3bea257 100644
--- a/luma/led_matrix/legacy.py
+++ b/luma/led_matrix/legacy.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 
 
 # trigger DeprecationWarning
-deprecation_msg = ("WARNING! 'luma.led_matrix.legacy' is now deprecated and will be removed in "
-      "v1.0.0. Please use the equivalent functionality from "
-      "'luma.core.legacy' and 'luma.core.legacy.font'.")
+deprecation_msg = (
+    "WARNING! 'luma.led_matrix.legacy' is now deprecated and will be removed in "
+    "v1.0.0. Please use the equivalent functionality from "
+    "'luma.core.legacy' and 'luma.core.legacy.font'.")
 deprecation(deprecation_msg)
diff --git a/tests/test_max7219.py b/tests/test_max7219.py
index 6c2e659..d8fc074 100644
--- a/tests/test_max7219.py
+++ b/tests/test_max7219.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # See LICENSE.rst for details.
 
 import pytest
+import warnings
 
 from luma.led_matrix.device import max7219
 from luma.core.render import canvas
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ def test_display_16x16():
 
 
 def test_normal_alignment():
-    device = max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation="horizontal")
+    device = max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation=0)
     serial.reset_mock()
 
     with canvas(device) as draw:
@@ -139,8 +140,8 @@ def test_normal_alignment():
     ])
 
 
-def test_block_realignment():
-    device = max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation="vertical")
+def test_block_realignment_minus90():
+    device = max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation=-90)
     serial.reset_mock()
 
     with canvas(device) as draw:
@@ -158,6 +159,32 @@ def test_block_realignment():
     ])
 
 
+def test_block_realignment_plus90():
+    device = max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation=90)
+    serial.reset_mock()
+
+    with canvas(device) as draw:
+        draw.rectangle((0, 0, 15, 3), outline="white")
+
+    serial.data.assert_has_calls([
+        call([1, 0xFF, 1, 0xFF]),
+        call([2, 0x01, 2, 0x80]),
+        call([3, 0x01, 3, 0x80]),
+        call([4, 0xFF, 4, 0xFF]),
+        call([5, 0x00, 5, 0x00]),
+        call([6, 0x00, 6, 0x00]),
+        call([7, 0x00, 7, 0x00]),
+        call([8, 0x00, 8, 0x00])
+    ])
+
+
 def test_unknown_block_orientation():
     with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
         max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation="sausages")
+
+
+def test_deprecated_block_orientation(recwarn):
+    warnings.simplefilter('always')
+    max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation="vertical")
+    max7219(serial, cascaded=2, block_orientation="horizontal")
+    assert len(recwarn) == 2