Details

Headshot of Tolkien

Twombly in his studio

Born April 25, 1928
Died July 5, 2011 (age 83)
Occupation Artist
Nationality American
Known for Painting
Sculpture
Calligraphy
Spouse Tatiana Franchetti

Who was Cy Twombly?

Edwin Parker "Cy" Twombly Jr. was an American painter, sculptor and photographer. Twombly's works are in the permanent collections of modern art museums globally, including the Menil Collection in Houston and the ceiling at the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

Life and Accomplishments

Life and Career

  • Born in Lexington, Virginia, on April 25, 1928.
  • Received a grant from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to travel to North Africa, Spain, Italy, and France.
  • Served in the U.S. Army as a cryptographer.
  • Taught at the Southern Seminary and Junior College in Buena Vista, Virginia.
  • Died of cancer in Rome in 2011.

Work

  • Developed a technique of gestural drawing that was characterized by thin white lines on a dark canvas that appear to be scratched onto the surface.
  • Produced a cycle of works based on myths including Leda and the Swan and The Birth of Venus.
  • Worked on the monumental historical ensemble Fifty Days at Iliam, a ten-part cycle inspired by Homer's Iliad.

Collections

  • Philadelphia Museum of Art: 10-painting cycle, Fifty Days at Iliam
  • Menil Collection in Houston: More than thirty of Twombly's paintings, sculptures, and works on paper.
  • Museum Brandhorst in Munich: 170 works including the Lepanto series.
  • Musée du Louvre: Painted the ceiling in the Salle des Bronzes.

For examples of Cy's work see his profile page at the The Art Story.