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.
"Birthday Party / Robert Motherwell / January 24. 1975" Robert Motherwell, AbEx
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
Robert Motherwell Birthday Party / Robert Motherwell / January 24. 1975, 1975 Signed on the reverse Mixed media, lithograph and collage 10 x 24 inches Robert Motherwell was among t...
Mixed Media, Lithograph
Robert Motherwell - Pull Out All Flags, iconic etching & aquatint, SIgned 33/50
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
Robert Motherwell Pull Out All Flags (Engberg, Banach 263), 1980 Aquatint and etching in colors, on German Etching paper, with full margins Hand-signed by artist, Pencil signed and n...
Etching, Aquatint
Untitled
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
29.88 x 22.36 ins (75.9 x 56.8 cms) Edition of 96 Signature:Signed "R. Motherwell" in pencil lower right Inscriptions:Numbered in pencil lower right; artist's chop mark lower right ...
Color, Etching, Aquatint
$16,800Sale Price|20% Off
Perpetual Summer
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
60 x 42.9 cms ( 23.62 x 16.89 ins) Edition of 26 Signature:Signed "Motherwell" in pencil lower right Inscriptions:Numbered in pencil lower right; artist's chop mark lower right Publ...
Color, Etching, Aquatint
Green Gauloises
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic, graphite and printed paper collage on board 42.6 x 36.8 cms (16 3/4 x 14 1/2 ins) This is the only collage in which Motherwell used a green package from Gauloises Caporal D...
Mixed Media
$19,083
Australian Stone - Modern, Expressionism, Collage, Aquatint, Red, Abstract
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Köln, DE
Aquatint in colours and collage "Australian Stone" by Robert Motherwell from 1983-1984. The edition on Hawthorne comprises 67 copies. This present copy is signed, inscribed and n...
Mixed Media, Color, Aquatint, Etching
America - La France Variations IX - Modern, Expressionism, Collage, Lithograph
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Köln, DE
Collage and lithograph in colours "America - La France Variantions IX" by Robert Motherwell from 1983-1984. The edition on handmade paper comprises 78 copies. The present copy is...
Mixed Media, Handmade Paper, Lithograph
$12,000Sale Price|20% Off
Dedication–Lincoln Center (B.App.23)
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
44.5 x 29.25 ins (113 x 74.3 cms) Edition of 108 Signature:Signed "R. Motherwell" in pencil lower left Inscriptions:Numbered in pencil lower left; some impressions have artist's chop mark lower left Publisher:The Juilliard School...
Color, Mixed Media, Screen
Price Upon Request
The Red and Black No. 52
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Houston, TX
Robert Motherwell's "The Red and Black No.52" is an abstract collage that incorporates oil based etching ink, pasted papers, and aquatint on paper. The piece was created between the ...
Paper, Ink, Aquatint
Price Upon Request
Study for Open Series
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic and graphite on paper. 15.2 x 21 cms (6 x 8 1/4 ins)
Acrylic, Graphite
Price Upon Request
The Brown Stripe
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic and pasted papers on paper 35.6 x 21 cms (14 x 8 1/2 ins)
Paper, Acrylic
Price Upon Request
Cabaret No. 2
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic, pasted papers, and graphite on paper 56 x 26 cms (22 x 10 1/4 ins)
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Price Upon Request
Cabaret No. 8
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic, pencil and collage on paper 55.9 x 26 cms (22 x 10 1/4 ins)
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Untitled
By Piero Dorazio
Located in Summit, NJ
Gorgeous aquatint in reds and oranges by Piero Dorazio (Italian 1927-2005). This aquatint is on heavy "Umbria" Fabriano paper. It is signed and dated 1964 in the lower margin in penc...
Aquatint
$8,913
H 34.77 in W 19.02 in D 0.04 in
Untitled Etching by Sam Francis, Abstract Expressionist, Signed 12/18
By Sam Francis
Located in Roma, IT
Untitled is an original artwork realized in 1989 by Sam Francis. Etching, Aquatint and monotype in colors on BFK Rives Edition including 18 color variations, this one is signed and...
Aquatint, Etching
$1,828
H 13.47 in W 12.01 in D 0.04 in
Zao Wou-ki - Moments - Original Aquatint with Hand-Signed Justification
By Zao Wou-Ki
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Zao Wou-ki - Moments - Original Aquatint Edition of 130 Dimensions: 34.2 x 30.5 cm Vellum paper BFK Rives 1996 Bibliography: Jørgen Ågerup, Zao Wou-Ki: The Graphic Work, A Catalogue ...
Aquatint
Nets – Mid-Century Modernism, Atelier 17
By Sigismond Kolos-Vari
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Sigismond Kolos-Vari, 'Nets', color etching with soft-ground and aquatint, edition 200 (1 of 60 artist's proofs), 1952. Signed and dated in pencil. Numbered L/LX in pencil. A superb, richly-inked impression, on heavy, off-white, Arches wove paper; the full sheet with margins (1 3/8 to 3 1/2 inches), in excellent condition. Published by the Guide de la Gravure, Switzerland, with their blindstamp in the bottom left sheet corner. Matted to museum standards, unframed. Image size 11 3/4 x 15 5/8 inches (298 x 397 mm); sheet size 15 x 22 1/4 inches (381 x 565 mm). ABOUT THE ARTIST Sigismund Kolos-Vari was born in Hungary and attended the School of Applied Arts in Budapest from 1915 to 1918 and then the School of Decorative Arts until 1925. The artist settled in Paris, and his first one-person show in 1928 at Galerie Miromesnil, which was highly successful, led to numerous subsequent exhibitions, including with the prestigious Galerie Bonaparte in 1929 and Galerie Povolosky in 1930. Kolos-Vari’s early success was abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of WWII when he was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in the Gurs internment camp. During this period, he created a sketchbook for a little girl, which is now preserved at the Centre de Documentation Juive Contemporaine at the Mémorial de la Shoah in Paris. He managed to escape after two years, crossing the border into Switzerland. After the war, he returned to Paris with a renewed dedication to his painting, producing increasingly powerful compositions. His work was highly acclaimed when shown at an important 1946 exhibition at the Musée National d’Art Moderne de Paris, organized by Jean Cassou. The artist was then approached by the eminent art dealer Jean Bucher, who gave Kolos-Vary a major one-person show at his gallery in 1948. During this post-war period, Kolos-Vary participated in the radical Salon de Mai, 1949-1958, the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, 1956-1961, and the Salon des Comparaisons, 1960-1962. Supported by his association with Stanley William Hayter and the landmark printmaking workshop Atelier 17...
Etching, Aquatint
$1,260Sale Price|30% Off
H 32 in W 30 in D 2 in
Coming Alive, Abstract Large-Scale Etching in Earthtones
By Pierre Marie Brisson
Located in Soquel, CA
Geometric limited edition etching, hand painted abstract of an orange and blue figure inside of a circle by Pierre Brisson (French, b, 1955). Signed "Brisson" lower right and "720/75...
Etching, Oil, Printer's Ink
$4,880
H 30.71 in W 22.84 in
Guided by Starlight, Abstract Embossed Print by Bik Chuen Ha
By Bik Chuen Ha
Located in Taichung, TW
Guided by Starlight (1993) is a mixed-media print by Hong Kong–born artist Bik Chuen Ha, known for his sculptural approach to printmaking. In this work, Ha layers deep embossing, car...
Mixed Media
$2,500
H 39 in W 64 in D 1 in
Burden of Need, 39x64 Multi media with hand coloring and collage
By Steven Sorman
Located in Southampton, NY
Steve Sorman has had over 80 solo artist exhibitions throughout the United States . I have included, just for reference, some images of his museum show so that you can see the body...
Oil Pastel, Ink, Mixed Media, Handmade Paper, Aquatint
$48,985
H 42.5 in W 39.25 in D 1 in
Frank Stella, Whitney Museum exhibited graphic work with Label, Signed/N, Framed
By Frank Stella
Located in New York, NY
Frank Stella (Whitney Museum Exhibited) Shards IVA (Axsom 151), 1982 Lithograph & Silkscreen on Arches Cover Paper (Whitney Museum exhibition label verso of frame) 45 1/2 × 39 1/...
Mixed Media, Lithograph, Screen
Roth-Handle
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
CR 168 Paper:Auvergne à la Main Richard de Bas handmade paper; offset-printed Roth Händle cigarette label Signature:Signed "RM" in pencil upper right Inscriptions:Numbered in pencil ...
Aquatint
Oiseau Entre deux Astres
By Joan Miró
Located in New York, NY
A very good impression of this color aquatint, etching and carborundum. Signed and numbered 27/75 in pencil by Miro. Printed and published by Maeght, Paris. Catalogue reference: Du...
Color, Etching, Aquatint
Xavi Carbonell, Untitled, Mixed media on paper, 2014
By Xavi Carbonell
Located in New York, NY
Spanish artist Xavi Carbonell born 1971, actively paints like a child as an adult, and leaves all of his pieces "untitled" so that each viewer can create their own story. The result...
Mixed Media
$12,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 44.5 in W 29.25 in
Dedication–Lincoln Center (B.App.23)
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
44.5 x 29.25 ins (113 x 74.3 cms) Edition of 108 Signature:Signed "R. Motherwell" in pencil lower left Inscriptions:Numbered in pencil lower left; some impressions have artist's chop mark lower left Publisher:The Juilliard School...
Color, Mixed Media, Screen
Cor Anglais
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
Robert Motherwell Cor Anglais, 1976 acrylic and printed paper collage on paper 22h x 15w in SIGNATURE signed with the artist's initials and dated 'RM 11 Feb 76' (lower left) EXHIBITIONS New Jersey, Montclair Art Museum, Robert Motherwell: The Music Collages...
Acrylic
Sold
H 30 in W 22 in D 2 in
"Redness of Red" Lithograph Screenprint Collage Contemporary Abstract Abex 1/100
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
"Redness of Red" Lithograph Screenprint Collage Contemporary Abstract Abex 1/100 Redness of Red by Robert Burns Motherwell (1915-1991) Lithograph Scree...
Paper, Lithograph, Screen
Summer Light Series: Harvest With Leaf
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
91.4 x 46.4 cms (36 x 18.3 ins) Edition of 54 Paper:Georges Duchêne Hawthorne of Larroque handmade paper; Ernte cigarette label; Ernte cigarette carton label Proofs:12 AP number...
Mixed Media, Color, Lithograph
Summer Light Series: Harvest With Leaf
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
36 x 18.3 ins (91.4 x 46.4 cms) Edition of 54 Signature:Signed "Motherwell" in pencil lower right Inscriptions:Numbered in pencil lower right; workshop chop mark lower...
Lithograph, Mixed Media
Untitled
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
29.88 x 22.36 ins (75.9 x 56.8 cms) Edition of 96 Signature:Signed "R. Motherwell" in pencil lower right Inscriptions:Numbered in pencil lower right; artist's chop mark lower ri...
Aquatint, Color, Etching