Cy Twombly
PainterKnown for:
gestural painting drawing on classical antiquity
Education:
School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Washington and Lee University (BA); Art Students League of New York; Black Mountain College
Cy Twombly developed a practice of large-scale painting that drew on classical literature, ancient history, and the physical act of writing - scrawling, scratching, looping lines across the surface in chalk, oil, and graphite - producing works that occupy the space between painting and inscription. He lived in Rome from 1957 onward, and the Mediterranean landscape and its mythological associations pervade his work. His Untitled (1970) sold for $70.5 million at Sotheby's in 2015.
Cy Twombly's Gear List(3)
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Connection Source
TheartstoryWebsite
Connection note
Applied oil paint thinly alongside house paint, graphite, and crayon; said "pencil is more my medium than wet paint"
Product description
Oil paint — pigment suspended in a drying oil, typically linseed — has been the dominant painting medium since the fifteenth century. It dries slowly, allowing extended blending, and produces a rich, luminous surface. Available from dozens of manufacturers at student through professional grades.
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Last updated March 20, 2026
