Robert Motherwell

Robert Motherwell was born on January 24, 1915 in Aberdeen, Washington. Motherwell is one of the most recognized of the American Abstract Expressionist painters. He received a Bachelor's degree in philosophy from Stanford University, and began his graduate studies at Harvard. In 1938 he traveled to Europe where he began painting in earnest, holding his first one-man show at the Raymond Duncan Gallery in Paris in 1939. In 1941 after moving to New York City, he abandoned his academic studies to paint full time. In 1942 he met abstract artist William Baziotes, and was introduced to many of the abstract expressionists of New York. Motherwell created his first collages at Jackson Pollock's Studio in Greenwich Village and, along with Pollock and Baziotes was invited to exhibit at the Peggy Guggenheim "Art of This Century" gallery in New York City. For the next fifteen years he traveled extensively, taught art, and developed his style of painting, drawing and collage. Motherwell also participated in one-man and group exhibitions at galleries including The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. In 1961 Motherwell began making limited edition prints of his work. Motherwell worked with numerous print workshops in the United States and Europe. These collaborations between the Motherwell and the printmakers were a source of great satisfaction to the artist. He synthesized his unique abstract style, and the materials and technical characteristics of printmaking to create over 200 editions over the next 30 years. Robert Motherwell died on July 16, 1991.

Robert Motherwell Images:
Beside The Sea No. 24, 1962
Beside The Sea With Bulkhead
Blue Elegy, 1981
Blue Music
Samura No. 1
Sans Titre, 1982