Cy Twombly American, 1928-2011

Cy Twombly is a major American artist of the 20th century, known for his paintings, drawings, and sculptures that combine writing, drawing, and abstract expressionism. Born in Lexington, Virginia, Twombly studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Art Students League in New York. After his early travels to Europe and North Africa in the 1950s, Twombly permanently settled in Rome in 1957. There, he developed his signature style, consisting of graffiti, scribbles, and chalk lines on neutral or colored backgrounds, reminiscent of automatic writing and ancient inscriptions. Twombly's works, often large-scale, are imbued with literary, mythological, and historical references. Series such as "Ferragosto", "Fifty Days at Iliam", or "The Ceiling" testify to his interest in poetry, epic, and Mediterranean culture. Throughout his career, Twombly exhibited in the most prestigious institutions, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to the Centre Pompidou in Paris. His work, both lyrical and enigmatic, has profoundly influenced generations of artists. Cy Twombly received numerous honors, including the Praemium Imperiale in 1996 and the Légion d'Honneur in 2010. His artistic legacy, poised between abstraction and figuration, spontaneous gesture and erudition, continues to inspire and fascinate.