Cy Twombly divided his time between New York and Italy. Near Rome he was entering in communication with the last traces of the intense antique passions. In New York he adapted his own semiotics in search of an absolute that transcends space and time.
Most of his Blackboards were made in New York. This series is prolific, demonstrating that the artist feels being close to achieve his goal. Comparing his works facilitates the interpretation of his thought.
A Blackboard painted with a white wax crayon in 1968 was sold for $ 71M including premium by Sotheby's on 11 November 2015. Its structure is one of the most complex with six horizontal lines, each one being composed of a tight pattern of endless loops. The gradual thickness of the six lines adds an illusion that the image is tilted with respect to its canvas. This opus is also one of the largest, 173 x 229 cm.
On May 11 in New York, Sotheby's sells as lot 21 a painting of nearly identical composition, made in the same year in a smaller format, 152 x 173 cm. The flexibility of the loops is the same, certainly not by imitation but by the effect of the same musical influence, proving that the artist completely controls the reflex movement of his hand in the more or less spirited performance of his proto-writing .
This artwork is experimental. The line is blue on a gray background darker than usual. The intent of this change is not only aesthetic. An additional white wax is used by contrast in the lower left of the image to simulate vertical signs of wear of the board in a counter-sense of the tilted orientation of the blue loops.
I do not know if the artist was satisfied with the result of this additional approach to time but it is taken for sure that he did not reuse this idea. Bought to Castelli in 1969 by its current owner, the unique Blackboard in blue has never been exhibited or published.
The press release of March 18 announced that this lot is expected in excess of $ 40M. I invite you to watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
SOLD for $ 37M including premium
Most of his Blackboards were made in New York. This series is prolific, demonstrating that the artist feels being close to achieve his goal. Comparing his works facilitates the interpretation of his thought.
A Blackboard painted with a white wax crayon in 1968 was sold for $ 71M including premium by Sotheby's on 11 November 2015. Its structure is one of the most complex with six horizontal lines, each one being composed of a tight pattern of endless loops. The gradual thickness of the six lines adds an illusion that the image is tilted with respect to its canvas. This opus is also one of the largest, 173 x 229 cm.
On May 11 in New York, Sotheby's sells as lot 21 a painting of nearly identical composition, made in the same year in a smaller format, 152 x 173 cm. The flexibility of the loops is the same, certainly not by imitation but by the effect of the same musical influence, proving that the artist completely controls the reflex movement of his hand in the more or less spirited performance of his proto-writing .
This artwork is experimental. The line is blue on a gray background darker than usual. The intent of this change is not only aesthetic. An additional white wax is used by contrast in the lower left of the image to simulate vertical signs of wear of the board in a counter-sense of the tilted orientation of the blue loops.
I do not know if the artist was satisfied with the result of this additional approach to time but it is taken for sure that he did not reuse this idea. Bought to Castelli in 1969 by its current owner, the unique Blackboard in blue has never been exhibited or published.
The press release of March 18 announced that this lot is expected in excess of $ 40M. I invite you to watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
SOLD for $ 37M including premium
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