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Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

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.

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Artist: Robert Motherwell
On the Wing
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
46.75 x 30.5 ins (118.7 x 77.5 cms) Edition of 70 Signed in pencil lower right. Numbered in pencil lower right; workshop chop mark lower right; workshop number "RM83-718" in pe...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media, Color, Lithograph

Irish Book
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic and pasted papers on canvas mounted on board 50.8 x 40.6 cms (20 x 16 ins) This collage includes a fragment of a 1985 print, Burning Sun. Although Motherwell signed...
Category

20th Century Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Acrylic

Pull Out All Flags, iconic Abstract Expressionist 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...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media, 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 ...
Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

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...
Category

20th Century Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

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...
Category

1980s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Color, Etching, Aquatint

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...
Category

1960s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Color, Mixed Media, Screen

Brasileira
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Robert Motherwell Brasileira 1975 Acrylic, graphite and printed paper collage on canvas laid on board 121 x 91 cms (47 5/8 x 35 7/8 ins) Provenance: Ace Gallery, Los Angeles Doug...
Category

1970s Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

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 ...
Category

1980s Modern Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Ink, Aquatint

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)
Category

20th Century Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Acrylic, Graphite

Red, White and Blue No. 2
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic and pasted paper on paper 21.6 x 17.8 cms (8 1/2 x 7 ins)
Category

20th Century Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Red, White and Blue No. 1
By Robert Motherwell
Located in London, GB
Acrylic and pasted paper on paper 21.6 x 17.8 cms (8 1/2 x 7 ins)
Category

20th Century Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

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)
Category

20th Century Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

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)
Category

20th Century Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media, Acrylic

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)
Category

20th Century Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media, Acrylic

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Summer Light Series: Harvest With Leaf
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Summer Light Series: Harvest With Leaf
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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...
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1970s Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell Mixed Media

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Untitled
Untitled
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Robert Motherwell mixed media for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Robert Motherwell mixed media available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of mixed media to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, purple, red and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert Motherwell in acrylic paint, paint, synthetic resin 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 mixed media, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Mark Palmer, Dale Chihuly, and Varujan Boghosian. Robert Motherwell mixed media prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,000 and tops out at $500,000, while the average work can sell for $100,000.
Questions About Robert Motherwell Mixed Media
  • 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.

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