“What I am trying to establishis—that Modern Art isn’t disl ocated, but something with roo ts, tradition, and continuity. For myself, the past is the s ource (for all art is vitally contemporary).”
Cy Twombly (b. 1928, Lexington, Virginia; d. 2011, Rome) was an American artist known for his unique and expressive style that blended abstract painting with references to history, literature, and poetry. His work draws from ancient myths and classical art, yet remains raw and personal—marked by scribbles, marks, and written words that look spontaneous and emotive.
Twombly studied art at the Art Students League in New York and Black Mountain College in North Carolina—a hub for experimental artists at the time. There, he met influential figures like composer John Cage and artist Robert Rauschenberg. In 1952, he traveled with Rauschenberg through North Africa and Italy. This journey exposed him to ancient ruins and rich historical and cultural traditions, which deeply influenced his art.
By the late 1950s, Twombly had developed his signature style: complex surfaces filled with scratched lines, scrawled words, and symbols. His work often referenced classical history and myth while also resembling modern graffiti. He used unusual materials, including oil paint mixed with tar and wax, to create textured, layered surfaces.
After moving to Rome in 1957, Twombly became immersed in the ancient past. His paintings from the 1960s often include names of mythological characters, blending timeless stories with loose, abstract forms. In 1967, he started his famous Blackboard series, with looping white lines on gray backgrounds. These works resemble frenzied writing on chalkboards and were inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, which shaped Twombly’s approach to drawing as a way of thinking and discovering.
During the 1980s and ’90s, his work grew bolder and more experimental. He began using finger painting, collage, sculpture, and even homemade brushes to explore new textures and effects. Color became more important in these later works, which often featured flowers, references to wine and celebration (called Bacchic themes), and allusions to classical stories.
In the final years of his life, living mostly in Italy, Twombly focused on large, colorful paintings inspired by nature and myth. These late works—filled with energetic brushstrokes and bright colors—are seen as the joyful, poetic conclusion to a career devoted to exploring memory, history, and the power of the written word. Cy Twombly’s art invites viewers to feel, reflect, and connect with both the ancient world and their own inner life.