Robert Motherwell: With Pen and Brush

Robert Motherwell was by far the most intellectual and\narticulate of the Abstract Expressionists. This book, written by a\nfriend of the artist, the well-known writer and critic Mary Ann\nCaws, examines Motherwell’s way of thinking and writing in relation\nto his paintings. The artist, American by birth, yet simultaneously\nAmerican and European in his way of visualizing and vocalizing\nartistic and philosophical traditions, always worked between these\ntwo poles, and it is this tension that imbues his œuvre with its\nparticular intensity.

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The author bases her analysis of Motherwell on the artist’s own\nwritings and readings, as well as on extensive conversations and\ninterviews with him. She considers his work and interests in\nrelation to those of other Abstract Expressionists as well as to\nthe work of the Surrealists. Her book highlights his deep\nattraction to France and French literature and art, and his concern\nwith the idea of elegy and the tragedy of the Spanish Civil War.\nHis singularly American spirit provided him with a manner of\npainting and thinking unique among the Abstract Expressionists, as\nwell as with a distinctive and highly personal filter through which\nto interpret his fascination with European literature and\nhistory.

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