Motherwell Robert

Robert Motherwell was born on January 24, 1915, in Aberdeen, Washington, as the first child of Robert Burns Motherwell II and Margaret Hogan Motherwell. His family later moved to San Francisco, where his father became the president of Wells Fargo Bank. Despite relocating, Motherwell spent his childhood summers in Cohasset Beach, Washington. It was here that he met Lance Wood Hart, a painter and art teacher, who would become an early mentor to him.

Growing up with asthma, Motherwell was primarily raised on the Pacific Coast, and he attended school in California. The wide-open spaces and vibrant colors of the region—characterized by the ultramarine sky and yellow ochre hills—later influenced his abstract paintings. Additionally, his childhood health struggles instilled in him a lifelong fascination with themes of mortality, which often appeared in his work.

Motherwell began his formal education studying painting briefly at the California School of Fine Arts between 1932 and 1937. He then pursued a BA in philosophy at Stanford University. During his time at Stanford, Motherwell developed a passion for modernism, fueled by his reading of symbolist literature and works by authors like Mallarmé, James Joyce, Edgar Allan Poe, and Octavio Paz. This literary passion later became a recurring theme in his artistic endeavors.

At the age of 20, Motherwell traveled to Europe with his father and sister. Their “grand tour” included stops in Paris, Amalfi, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, London, and finally Motherwell, Scotland. This trip further enriched his exposure to modernist ideas and art.

Despite his ambition to pursue painting, Motherwell initially followed his father’s advice to seek a secure career path. As part of a compromise with his father—who agreed to provide a modest financial stipend—Motherwell enrolled at Harvard University to pursue a Ph.D. in philosophy. There, he studied under esteemed professors Arthur Oncken Lovejoy and David Wite Prall.

Motherwell’s academic pursuits took him to Paris for a year, where he conducted research on the writings of Eugène Delacroix. While in Paris, he met American composer Arthur Berger, who encouraged him to continue his education at Columbia University. Heeding this advice, Motherwell went on to study under Meyer Schapiro, further deepening his immersion in art and philosophy.

In 1939, Motherwell accepted an invitation from Lance Wood Hart, then a professor at the University of Oregon, to assist in teaching drawing and painting classes. This experience marked Motherwell’s gradual shift towards a full-time career in art.

Motherwell emerged as one of the youngest members of the New York School, a group of artists that included influential figures like Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko. He became known for his series of abstract paintings and prints, often infused with political, philosophical, and literary themes. One of his most renowned series, “Elegies to the Spanish Republic,” reflects his deep engagement with such themes.

Beyond his artistic contributions, Motherwell was regarded as an articulate spokesman for the abstract expressionist movement. He edited “The Dada Painters and Poets: An Anthology,” further cementing his role as a thought leader in the art world.

Robert Motherwell’s legacy endures as a pivotal figure in 20th-century art, whose work and insights continue to inspire artists and thinkers alike.