Skip to main content

Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

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.

to
1
1
2
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
2
1
1
209
877
683
375
309
4
1
3
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
3
1
Artist: Robert Motherwell
The Quarrel, Lithograph with poem, signed/N (Belknap 294; Engberg & Banach 318)
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
Robert Motherwell The Quarrel (Belknap 294; Engberg & Banach 318), 1983 Lithograph in colors on Arches cover mould paper Hand signed and numbered 1/100 in graphite on the front with ...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

America-La France Variations VII (large hand signed lithograph)
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Aventura, FL
America-La France Variations VII (B. 303; E. & Ba. 335). Lithograph on white Arches cover paper in 11 colors with black German etching paper, blue TGL handmade paper with multicolor...
Category

1980s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Frontispiece from" A la Pintura"
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A print by Robert Motherwell. "Frontispiece from 'A la Pintura'" is an aquatint executed in blue and brown and depicts the writing A la Pintura below a small blue rectangle by Post War artist Robert Motherwell. Signed lower right, in ink, "Robert Motherwell 1972...
Category

1970s Post-War Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Aquatint

Sirens II - 20th Century, Robert Motherwell, Figurative, Print, Expressionist
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Köln, DE
An aquatint etching out of 1988 in a very good condition and bright colours. 57 x 66 cm. Edition of 90, signed and numbered.
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Aquatint

Related Items
From the Series "La Ville"
By Fernand Léger
Located in New York, NY
This lithograph was printed at the Atelier Mourlot in Paris in 1959 and is a part of the "La Ville" portfolio. It is annotated "Epreuve de l'atelier Mourlot /...
Category

1950s Post-War Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Sonia Delaunay - Composition - Original Lithograph
By Sonia Delaunay
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Sonia Delaunay - Composition Original Lithograph 1972 Dimensions: 32 x 25 cm Revue XXe Siècle Cahiers d'art published under the direction of G. di San Lazzaro. Sonia Delaunay was known for her vivid use of color and her bold, abstract patterns, breaking down traditional distinctions between the fine and applied arts as an artist, designer and printmaker. Born Sarah Stern on November 14, 1885 in Gradizhsk, Ukraine, she was adopted in 1890 by her maternal uncle, Henri Terk, a lawyer in St. Petersburg, where she grew up, exposed to music and art, and learning several foreign languages. In 1903, she moved to Germany to study drawing with Ludwig Schmidt-Reutler (1863–1909) at the Karlsruhe academy of fine arts; Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951), composer-to-be, was among her classmates there. In 1905, she traveled to Paris where she attended art classes at the Académie de la Palette, learned printmaking from Rudolf Grossman (1889–1941), and met Amédée Ozenfant (1886–1966), André Dunoyer de Segonzac (1884–1974), and Jean-Louis Boussingault (1883–1943). Sonia spent much of her time at exhibitions and galleries in Paris, which showed works by Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh, Pierre Bonnard, and Edouard Vuillard, as well as Les Fauves, Henri Matisse and André Derain. She did, however, maintain contact with Germany, exhibiting at the Galerie Der Sturm, Berlin, in 1913, 1920 and 1921. During her first year in Paris, Sonia met the German collector and art-dealer, Wilhelm Uhde (1874–1947), whom she married on December 5, 1908, and whose Montparnasse gallery, the Galerie Notre-Dame des Champs, showed her first solo exhibition. Through Uhde, Sonia encountered many painters, including Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Maurice de Vlaminck, and Robert Delaunay (1885–1941). In 1910, Sonia divorced Uhde by mutual agreement, married Delaunay that same year, and gave birth to their son, Charles, in January 1911. Together Sonia and Robert Delaunay pursued the study of color, influenced by theories of Michel-Eugène Chevreul (1786–1889). Sonia’s interest in simultaneous contrast, as evidenced in her early collages, book bindings, small painted boxes...
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Saul Steinberg lithograph 1970s (Saul Steinberg prints)
By Saul Steinberg
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Vintage Saul Steinberg Lithograph Published by: Galerie Maeght, Paris, c.1970 Portfolio: Derrière le miroir Excellent frame piece Lithograph in colors 15 x 22 inches Fold-line as i...
Category

1970s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Sister Corita (vintage hand signed poster) Images Gallery rarely found signed
By Corita Kent
Located in New York, NY
Sister Mary Corita Kent Sister Corita hand signed poster, 1985 Offset Lithograph Signed in pencil by the artist on the lower right 24 x 18 inches Unframed This offset lithograph post...
Category

1980s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Pencil, Lithograph, Offset

Bacon, Le Boeuf, 1986
By Francis Bacon
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: After Francis Bacon (1909-1992) Title: Le Boeuf, exhibition poster Year: 1986 Medium: Offset Lithograph on premium paper Size: 30.75 x 18 inches Condition: Excellent Notes: Published by Foundation Maeght FRANCIS BACON (1909-1992) Francis Bacon has a distinctive style as a figure painter. In his mature style, developed in the 1950s, the paintings include images of either friends or lovers, or images of people found in movie stills...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph, Offset

Bacon, Le Boeuf, 1986
H 30.75 in W 18 in
Milton Glaser Sony Tape, Full Color Sound poster 1980 (Milton Glaser posters)
By Milton Glaser
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Milton Glaser Sony Tape, Full Color Sound poster 1980: Vintage original 1980s Milton Glaser poster designed by Glaser for the world-recognized brand Sony. A classic Milton Glaser advertising design featuring the profile of a 19th-century music listener silhouetted against music liner paper. Offset lithographic poster in colors. 30 x 45 inches. Very good overall vintage condition with the exception of perhaps some minor signs of handling. Vintage original print. Milton Glaser printed signature upper left; from an edition of unknown. Literature: Milton Glaser Posters, Glaser, pg. 251. Legendary graphic designer, illustrator, and art director Milton Glaser created some of the most recognizable iconography in America today —including the iconic I ♥ N Y logo —and countless posters and ad campaigns. Glaser changed the face of commercial art in the 1960s and ’70s, breaking with the conventions of modernism and drawing inspiration from a wide variety of art-historical and pop-cultural sources, from Art Nouveau to comic illustration...
Category

1960s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph, Offset

Sunrise
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in New York, NY
A very good impression of this early color offset lithograph. Signed in pencil by Lichtenstein. Printed by Colorcraft, New York. Published by Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. Catalo...
Category

1960s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Color, Lithograph, Offset

Sunrise
H 17.25 in W 23.25 in
Alexander Calder Roses lithograph (1960s Calder)
By Alexander Calder
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Alexander Calder Lithograph c. 1966: Lithograph in colors; 11 x 15 inches. Very good overall vintage condition. Unsigned from an edition of unknown. From: Derrière le miroir Publish...
Category

Mid-20th Century Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Symbolic Self-Portrait with Equals
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in New York, NY
A very good impression of this color offset lithograph on white, thick, smooth Louvain Supreme Vellum Bristol 150-pound paper. Signed and numbered 190/300 in pencil. Printed by Color...
Category

1970s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Vellum, Color, Lithograph, Offset

Instant Nutriment #4, 1969 - Modern Pop Art Psychedelic Print
By Peter Max
Located in Soquel, CA
Instant Nutriment #4, 1969 - Modern Pop Art Psychedelic Print A vintage psychedelic print, Instant Nutriment #4, 1969 by Peter Max (German, b. 1937). Unframed. Shipped Rolled in tube. Some edge wear to paper. Image: 36"H x 24"W One of the most famous of all living artist's, Peter Max is a pop culture icon. His bold colors, uplifting images and an uncommon artistic diversity have touched almost every phase of American culture and has inspired many generations. Peter Max has painted for six U.S. Presidents and his art is on display in Presidential Libraries and in U.S. Embassies. Max has painted our Lady Liberty annually since America's Bicentennial and in 2000 a collage of his Liberties adorned over 145 million Verizon phone books. Max has been named an official artist of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He has also been Official Artist of 5 Super Bowls, World Cup USA, The World Series, The U.S. Open, The Indy 500, The NYC Marathon...
Category

1960s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Paper, Ink, Lithograph

VOTE! Famous anti-Trump political print, (Hand Signed in marker by Ed Ruscha)
By Ed Ruscha
Located in New York, NY
Ed Ruscha EE-NUF! (hand signed by Ed Ruscha), 2020 Color lithographic poster on wove paper (hand signed by Ed Ruscha) Boldly signed by Ed Ruscha in black marker on the front 32 1/4 × 23 inches Unframed This iconic image was plastered on billboards declaring "Enough of Trump" throughout the United States. (see attached photos) - and it was even prominently featured in a segment on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show about artists against Trump. (see also attached screengrab). Here, Ed Ruscha has had EE-NUF of Trumpism and he decries White Supremacy, anti-Democracy, Fascism, pollution and the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. There's no subtlety in this imagery of a tattered and burned American flag...
Category

2010s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph, Offset

Keith Haring Crack Down! 1986 (vintage program)
By Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring crack down! 1986: Vintage original 1986 Keith Haring illustrated Crack Down! benefit program. This folding pamphlet was designed & illustrated by Keith Haring (along with a poster of same), for the 1986 "Crackdown on Crack" concert at New York City’s world...
Category

1980s Pop Art Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Previously Available Items
New York Cultural Institutions, from the NY, NY portfolio
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
Robert Motherwell New York Cultural Institutions, from the NY, NY portfolio, 1982 Color Lithograph with Silkscreen and Embossing on Arches Paper with embossing Hand signed and number...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph, Screen

"Tricolor" original lithograph
By Robert Motherwell
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Catalogue reference: Belknap 24 (appendix). Printed in 1973 for the art revue XXe Siecle and published in Paris by San Lazzaro. Size: 12 1/4 x 9 3/8 inch...
Category

1970s Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Australian Stone -- Aquatint, Handmade Paper, Etching by Robert Motherwell
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
ROBERT MOTHERWELL Australian Stone, 1983-84 Aquatint printed in red, with chine collé onto Hawthorne of Larroque handmade paper Signed and numbered from the edition of 52 Printed in...
Category

1980s Abstract Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

Robert Motherwell figurative prints for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Robert Motherwell figurative prints available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert Motherwell in lithograph, aquatint, etching 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 figurative prints, so small editions measuring 10 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Frank Stella, Willem de Kooning, and Louisa Chase. Robert Motherwell figurative prints 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 $15,000, while the average work can sell for $3,400.
Questions About Robert Motherwell Figurative Prints
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024
    No, Robert Motherwell was not a Surrealist painter. The American artist was the youngest member of the New York School, a group of Abstract Expressionists working in art, dance, poetry and music in the 1950s and '60s. However, Motherwell did meet a group of exiled Parisian Surrealists while attending Columbia University to study art history in the 1940s. This encounter proved influential in his style. Inspired by their work, 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. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Robert Motherwell art.
  • 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