He displayed a strong interest in art from a young age and went on to study at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Art Students League in New York City. His exposure to the works of artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Franz Kline during his formative years played a significant role in shaping his artistic style. In the 1950s, Twombly began to develop his distinctive style characterized by gestural abstraction and a fusion of painting and drawing. His early works exhibited the influence of Abstract Expressionism, yet he moved away from the movement’s emphasis on emotional expression to explore a more intellectually layered approach.
One of Twombly’s defining features was his incorporation of text and words into his artworks. He often combined expressive brushwork with snippets of poetry, phrases, and historical references.
This merging of visual art and language created a unique dialogic relationship between the two mediums. In the 1960s, Twombly created a series of “blackboard” paintings where he applied white paint onto dark backgrounds, evoking a classroom blackboard. These works exemplify his interest in the process of mark-making and the tension between spontaneous expression and controlled form. Twombly’s move to Italy in the late 1950s marked a significant turning point in his career. The country’s rich history, mythology, and artistic heritage deeply influenced his work. His connection to classical literature, Mediterranean landscapes, and ancient civilizations is evident in many of his later pieces.
Throughout the 1970s and beyond, Twombly continued to produce art that blurred the lines between painting, drawing, and writing. His monumental sculptures and canvases often explored themes of love, sexuality, and human experience through layers of symbolism and abstraction. His work was shown in prestigious galleries and museums around the world, earning him international recognition.
