Skip to main content

Robert Motherwell

American, 1915-1991

The name of painter, printmaker and writer Robert Motherwell (1915–91) is often taken as synonymous with the New York School, whose name he coined. Motherwell was the youngest of this group of Abstract Expressionists working in art, dance, poetry and music in 1950s and '60s New York City, which included Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Philip Guston, Helen Frankenthaler and Mark Rothko.

Born in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1915, Motherwell had perhaps the broadest and best education of any of the New York School coterie, with an extensive background in philosophy, literature and art history. He earned a BA in philosophy in 1937 from Stanford University and was working toward a PhD in the subject at Harvard when he interrupted his studies for a yearlong trip to Europe, where he fell in love with European modernism.

After returning, in 1940 he enrolled Columbia to study art history. It was there that he met a group of exiled Parisian Surrealists, and encounter that proved influential on his style. Motherwell began to integrate the idea of “automatism” — unmediated gestures that reflect deeper psychological impulses — into his work, pioneering a new form of Abstract Expressionism that came to characterize the New York School.

Works like the 1967 Beside the Sea no. 45, an acrylic on canvas, and the 1966 lithograph New York International epitomize Motherwell’s use of simple shapes in boldly contrasting colors, executed in quick, gestural strokes that occasionally evoke figures, suggesting a latent narrative despite their obvious abstraction.

Throughout his career, Motherwell taught painting at Hunter College, in New York, and at Black Mountain College, in North Carolina, where his work influenced the likes of Cy Twombly, Robert Rauschenberg and Kenneth Noland. His influence as one of the founding fathers of American Abstract Expressionism remains profound.

Average Sold Price
$1,606
Styles
Materials
Related Artists
Signs on Copper /// Abstract Expressionism Robert Motherwell Brown Black Etching
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Robert Motherwell (American, 1915-1991) Title: "Signs on Copper" *Signed and numbered by Motherwell lower right Year: 1981 Medium: Original Lift-Ground Etching with Aquatint on German Etching paper Limited edition: 45/53. (There were also 10 artist's proofs) Printer: Catherine Mosley in the artist's studio, Greenwich, CT Publisher: The artist Motherwell himself, Greenwich, CT Reference: "Catalogue Raisonné 1943-1990 - The Prints of Robert Motherwell" - Belknap No. 252, page 249; Engberg No. 286 Framing: Not framed, but matted with a custom hand-wrapped 8 ply linen mat Matted size: 28.25" x 33.75" Sheet size: 27" x 31.75" Image size: 17.75" x 23.5" Condition: Light matt stain in margins and a light water stain to lower right corner in margin. It is otherwise a strong impression in very good condition with strong colors. The printed image is pristine Very rare Notes: Provenance: private collection - Palm Beach, FL. Released by Petersburg Press, London, UK and New York, NY. Artist's chop mark/blind stamp lower right. Printed in 2 colors in 3 runs from 2 zinc plates and 1 copper plate: 1. burnt sienna - zinc plate (aquatint); 2. burnt sienna - copper plate (aquatint); 3. black - zinc plate (lift-ground etching and aquatint). Biography: Robert Motherwell was born January 24, 1915, in Aberdeen, Washington. He was awarded a fellowship to the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles at age 11, and in 1932 studied painting briefly at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Motherwell received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1937 and enrolled for graduate work later that year in the Department of Philosophy at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He traveled to Europe in 1938 for a year of study abroad. His first solo show was presented at the Raymond Duncan...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell

Materials

Etching, Aquatint, Intaglio

Greenwich Arts Council Poster /// Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell NY
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Robert Motherwell (American, 1915-1992) Title: "Greenwich Arts Council" *Issued unsigned, though signed by Motherwell in the plate (printed signature) center right Year: 1976 Medium: Original Lithograph, Exhibition Poster on Strathmore paper Limited edition: 700. (There was also a signed and numbered edition of 42) Printer: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, NY Publisher: Greenwich Arts Council, Greenwich, CT Reference: "The Prints of Robert Motherwell - A Catalogue Raisonné 1943-1984" - Belknap Appendix: No. 28, page 282; "Robert Motherwell - The Complete Prints 1940-1991" - Engberg No. 202 Sheet size: 37.25" x 23" Condition: Never framed, has been professionally stored away for decades. Some minor edge wear. In excellent condition Rare Notes: Printed in three colors: black, green, and cream. Poster produced for a special exhibition "Sculpture 76" at The Greenwich Arts Council, Greenwich, CT from June - October, 1976. The image featured on this poster is Motherwell's 1972 acrylic painting on paper "Greenwich Sculpture". Artist's copyright lower left and printer's imprint lower right. GIA Gallery Poster Disclaimer: Not to be confused with thousands of contemporary inkjet/giclée/digital reproductions ignorantly or deliberately passed off as originals on the market today. The examples we offer here are the original period vintage (exhibition) posters, created and designed by, or under the supervision and authorization of the artist or their respective estate (posthumously), for various exhibitions and events in which they participated. If applicable, this poster is also fully documented within its respective artists' official catalogue raisonné of authentic graphic works, prints, and or posters. Biography: Robert Motherwell was born January 24, 1915, in Aberdeen, Washington. He was awarded a fellowship to the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles at age 11, and in 1932 studied painting briefly at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Motherwell received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1937 and enrolled for graduate work later that year in the Department of Philosophy at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He traveled to Europe in 1938 for a year of study abroad. His first solo show was presented at the Raymond Duncan...
Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell

Materials

Lithograph

Black for Mozart
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Robert Motherwell Black for Mozart 1991 Lithograph and collage, Edition 23/40 162.6 x 104.1 cms (64 x 41 ins) RM15195 Paper: White Tyler Graphics Ltd. (TGL) handmade paper; white Ri...
Category

1990s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell

Materials

Mixed Media, Color, Lithograph

Tricolor (from XXe Siecle)
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Robert Motherwell Title: Tricolor (from XXe Siecle) Medium: Lithograph Date: 1973 Edition: Unnumbered Frame Size: 18 1/2" x 16 1/2" Sheet Size: 12 1/2" x 10 1/2" Signature: U...
Category

1970s Abstract Robert Motherwell

Materials

Lithograph

Summertime in Italy (With Lines)
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Robert Motherwell (1915-1991), alongside Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning, made up the quartet of American abstract painters that radically defined abstraction and established New York City as the center of the art world for the second half of the 20th century. Motherwell was also the unofficial spokesman of the New York School, writing, teaching, and lecturing on behalf of the movement, his fellow artists, and the merits of abstraction. His work appears in museum collections around the world and is instantly recognizable for its boldness and black forms. Yet in addition to his impressive paintings, Motherwell is also revered as a printmaker. He is one of the most innovative and prolific printmakers of the 20th century. He was always searching for new techniques, whether at his own printmaking atelier or collaborating with others, to expand his ideas and express his aesthetic. In the 1960s, Motherwell visited Italy on vacation with his then-wife, Helen Frankenthaler. Motherwell became enamoured with the Italianate landscape and the mountainous terrain of the Liguria region, which inspired a series of paintings, "Summertime in Italy...
Category

1960s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell

Materials

Lithograph

Samurai
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Signature: Signed "R. Motherwell" in pencil lower right Inscriptions: Numbered in pencil lower right; workshop chop mark lower right Edition: 16
Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell

Materials

Lithograph

Grey Open
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Robert Motherwell (1915-1991), alongside Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning, made up the quartet of American artists that radically defined abstraction and establish...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell

Materials

Etching

American – La France Variations VII, Ed./68
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Washington Depot,, CT
Robert Motherwell was an American artist and seminal Abstract Expressionist painter. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Galler...
Category

1980s Abstract Robert Motherwell

Materials

Lithograph

Browse all Art from Robert Motherwell
Shop Now

Artists Similar to Robert Motherwell

Robert Motherwell art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Robert Motherwell art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange, red, blue and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert Motherwell in lithograph, etching, paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the abstract style. Not every interior allows for large Robert Motherwell art, so small editions measuring 1 inch across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Sam Francis, Paul Jenkins, and Helen Frankenthaler. Robert Motherwell art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $150 and tops out at $3,600,000, while the average work can sell for $9,500.
Questions About Robert Motherwell
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Robert Motherwell was a part of the art movement called Abstract Expressionism. Artists who participated in the movement sought to express emotions through abstract forms. You'll find a range of Robert Motherwell art from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Recently Viewed

View All