Lot 192

Cy Twombly (1928-2011), Attributed to, Acrylic on Canvas

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Cy Twombly (1928-2011), Attributed to, Acrylic on Canvas

Estimate: $150,000 - $400,000

Starting Bid: $5,000

(0 Bids)

by Time Auction
August 2, 2026 1:00 PM EDT
Live Auction
255-10 Northern Blvd
Floor 1
Little Neck, NY, US 11362

CY TWOMBLY (1928-2011), ATTRIBUTED TO, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

Dimensions:

120.6 x 90.2 cm. All measured values are approximate.

Provenance and Authenticity:

This painting is presented in the manner and style associated with Cy Twombly, one of the most influential American artists of the postwar period. The work reflects Twombly's distinctive approach to abstraction, combining gestural mark-making, handwritten forms, layered surfaces, and expressive physical movement. Executed in acrylic on canvas, the composition demonstrates characteristics associated with Twombly's mature practice, including spontaneous linear gestures, rhythmic repetition, and the integration of writing-like forms into painterly space.

Signature:

Cy Twombly

Description:

The composition presents a field of expressive white gestures and sweeping linear forms layered across a muted background. Thick passages of paint create an appearance reminiscent of handwriting, calligraphic marks, and spontaneous notation, while dripping pigment adds a sense of movement and immediacy to the surface. The contrast between the soft background and energetic white strokes creates a poetic tension between structure and freedom. The work reflects Twombly's fascination with the relationship between language, memory, gesture, and visual expression.

Historical significance:

Cy Twombly's innovative fusion of drawing, painting, and written gesture established a unique position within twentieth-century abstract art. His works challenged traditional distinctions between image and text, transforming personal marks and fragments of writing into complex visual compositions. Twombly's influence extends across contemporary painting, and his gestural vocabulary remains one of the most recognizable developments in postwar abstraction.

Valuation:

Works associated with Cy Twombly hold an important position in the international contemporary art market due to his distinctive visual language and lasting influence on modern abstraction. Large-scale compositions featuring expressive gestures, layered surfaces, and calligraphic elements are especially significant among collectors and institutions seeking examples connected to Twombly's celebrated artistic approach.


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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $29 $5
$30 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $200
$5,000 $9,999 $350
$10,000 $49,999 $500
$50,000 $99,999 $800
$100,000 + $1,000