Robert Motherwell

Robert Motherwell was a leading figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement and one of its founding members. Known for his innovative use of accidental elements in his work, Motherwell’s early passion for art began at age 11 when he received a scholarship to study. Though he later earned degrees in aesthetics from Stanford and Harvard, he chose to pursue art seriously in 1941, drawing inspiration from Surrealists like Max Ernst and André Masson, while remaining largely self-taught.
His 1944 solo show at Peggy Guggenheim’s gallery in New York marked the beginning of his rise in the art world. By the 1960s, his work shifted to include a variety of styles, such as Color Field painting. A respected teacher, writer, and art advocate, Motherwell was married to fellow artist Helen Frankenthaler and was a prominent spokesperson for Abstract Expressionism.