Robert Motherwell. Works on Paper

Robert Motherwell was born in Aberdeen, Washington. He settled in New York City in 1942, where he became acquainted with some of America’s leading Abstract Expressionists, including Willem de Kooning, Hans Hoffman, William Baziotes, Barnett Newman, Adolph Gottlieb and Mark Rothko. Motherwell was associated with the New York School of painting since its inception in the early 1940's and has taken a significant place in the history of art, being identified as one of the key artists in the development of American Abstract Expressionism.

Motherwell was the youngest of the Abstract Expressionist artists who revolutionized painting in the 1940's. This group of artists caused a shift in the focus of the art world, moving its centre from Paris to New York. Printmaking was a large part of Motherwell’s career, with his work in the field coinciding with the print revival in America. His prints play an important role in exemplifying the entirety of his oeuvre, providing a link between the diverse media in which he worked. In his graphic work, of which he produced well over 450 images, he explored and mastered several techniques, including engraving, lithography, silkscreen, etching, aquatint, mezzotint, monotype and collage.

Motherwell was an immensely prolific artist, constantly creating works in a wide variety of styles and subjects. His method varied from a free and expressive use of drip and spatter technique, to highly controlled color field combinations. Major paintings during the 1950's and 60's have been accompanied by hundreds of drawings, collages, prints and typographical experiments.

Motherwell’s work is exhibited in galleries throughout America and the world, including institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York and The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, New York and Venice. His works have been included in every major exhibition of American Abstract Expressionism and he has received numerous awards and honors.

Robert Motherwell
Works on Paper