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Robert Motherwell. Autograph Letter to poet, Frank O'Hara, discussing at length his philosophy on art....
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Robert Motherwell's Personal Philosophy of Art and His Handwritten Life Chronology Given to Frank O'Hara
Robert Motherwell. Autograph Letter to poet, Frank O'Hara,
discussing at length his philosophy on art. No place [New York
City], August 18, 1965. Seventeen pages on nine leaves (rectos and
versos, leaf nine recto only), in blue ink, on the artist's
personal stationery bearing his 173 East 94th Street, New York City
basement studio address printed in red. 8.5 x 11 inches. The letter
is accompanied by a thirteen-page contemporary (complete)
typescript of the letter.An extraordinary admission of the artist's philosophy and observances of art, the letter is written to his friend, the playwright, curator, and poet, Frank O'Hara, who was readying his book, Robert Motherwell: with selections from the artist's writings (The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Doubleday & Co., 1965), for publication. Motherwell and O'Hara met in 1951 and the two shared a deep interest in poetry, with O'Hara remarking that, "When we did talk... it was almost always about poetry: Apollinaire, Baudelaire, Jacob, Reverdy, Rilke (not so much), and Lorca (lots)." It was during O'Hara's tenure as curator at the Museum of Modern Art in 1965 that he put together a retrospective of Motherwell's work and published the book on the artist and his writings.
Rather than express himself in a long, pedantic narrative, Motherwell expounds on his philosophy in an episodic manner, preferring to illuminate his thoughts in brilliant capsules. Written at 50 years old, it is less a letter than a treatise, quoting from such disparate sources as Vladimir Lenin and Paul Valéry, and citing influences such as Marcel Proust, sculptor David Smith, Homer, Pablo Picasso, and James Joyce:
"But if intelligence is essential in order to organize relations, i.e., to arrive at structural form, then the subject-matter is feeling: art is not a science. Painting that does not radiate feeling is not worth looking at. The deepest-and rarest-of grown-up pleasures is true feeling."
"The problems of inventing a new language are staggering. But what else can one do if one needs to express one's feeling precisely?"
"It is the effort to respect one's feelings, one's integrity that leads to radical notions. No revolutionary was ever one for the hell of it: it is too painful a condition. But the pain is eased by its inevitability, given a real problem."
"The ultimate act is faith, the ultimate resource the preconscious: if either is suspended, the artist is impotent. This is possible any hour any day, and it is the artist's nightmare throughout life."
"If one paints on an enormous scale, one gets involved in all the problems of running a lumberyard."
"I love poetry and music, but I would rather see."
"The technique of painting is the simplest of all the arts: For that reason it demands the greatest sensibility."
"Painting is a totally active act, but the audience is usually passive."
[Together with:] Typed Chronology bearing extensive handwritten revisions in Motherwell's hand. Twenty-one pages, rectos only. No place [New York], no date [1965]. 8.5" x 11", onion skin paper. An exhaustive curriculum vitae/chronological outline of the artist's life, from his birth in 1915, up through his most current exhibitions, interviews, and publications of 1965.
Every page is extensively hand-annotated and corrected. At the outset, the artist sets the tone by quoting from Plato's Phaedrus, "The men who dwell in the city are my teachers, not the trees or the country." Some fascinating passages include (with artist's handwritten notations in italics):
Tours France, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Belgium, England, and Scotland with father and sister during summer. "Beginning of life-long gourmet interests. Struck by hill-towns of Italy & abhors Nazi Germany. During these years, writes long papers on O'Neill & Psycho-analysis, Andre Gide, Hegel's theory of tragedy, Dante, James Joyce, William James, etc." (1935)
Receives a fellowship at age 11 to Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles, but while studying art at Stanford University, he found the art department uninteresting and decides to major in philosophy. It was at the instigation of his professor, that he, "Teaches a lecture-course on modern art & graduate seminar in aesthetics. Paints incessantly for first time." (1939)
"Friendly with John Cage." (1942)
"Father dies suddenly of cancer. Period of real economic hardship begins, lasting until he begins teaching at Hunter College." (1943)
"Offered contract for 75 pictures a year by Samuel M. Kootz." (1945)
"One of '14 Americans,' MOMA...becomes friendly with Rothko." (1946)
In a breathtaking admission, which is crossed out: "Falsely arrested for murder. Released the same night. Matter of mistaken license plate number by witness to street crime in N.Y.C." (1956)
"First major earnings from painting slowly begin, thanks to Janis." [Janis Gallery, New York City] (1957)
Marries Helen Frankenthaler. "Many common interests accelerate, painting, concerts, haute cuisine, travel, house-construction, 'a whole life.' Beginnings of a very close relationship with [sculptor] David Smith...paints more than 70 oils, many on a large scale, after several previous years of relative infertility." (1958)
For a panel at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art on "The Concept of the New,"- he "argues strongly for the connection between 'the new' & freshness of feeling." (1960)
Becomes consultant on the arts to the Partisan Review in 1962: "opinions generally ignored, resigns 1965."
"Large painting is called 'Monster (for Charles Ives)." (1962)
"Mrs. Lee V. [Louise Lindner] Eastman was killed in a plane crash at Kennedy International Airport, N.Y., a flight R.M. was scheduled but changed to day before...Exhibits 50 paintings at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in magnificent gallery there." (1963)
"Half a dozen enormous canvases including 'Dublin, Easter 1916,' 'London,' 'Spanish Elegy #100,' begun." (1964)
Creates 600 automatic drawings in ink on Japan paper in six weeks during months of April and May. The series is subsequently title "Lyric Suite," and "it is interrupted by death of [sculptor] David Smith, the artist's closest friend. Stops painting until September." (1965)
The text of both of these documents appeared in Frank O'Hara's book on Motherwell, but while the letter is largely printed as-written, the chronology printed in the book has been heavily edited and redacted by O'Hara, likely at Motherwell's request. O'Hara has streamlined the prose in a great many passages, while others passages don't appear in the printed book at all.
A remarkable and penetrating archive that gives rare insight into Motherwell's artistic and personal struggles.
Accompanied by a 5 x 3.5 inches Kodacolor print of Robert Motherwell and sculptor, David Smith, enjoying a cocktail in Cape Cod in 1959. The photo was printed in April 1971 from the original 1959 Kodak color transparency. Handwritten ink notation on the verso identifying the men, location, and date.
Condition: The Letter shows oxidized paperclip impressions at the top edge of the first and last leaves, scattered light marginal stains, and minor edge wear. The Chronology is secured with a contemporary staple that has oxidized. First leaf detached with some corner paper loss and a tiny burn hole in the upper right margin. Scattered light stains, edge chips and tears, and corner creases.
References: O'Hara, Frank, Robert Motherwell: with selections from the artist's writings, 1965.
Auction Info
2022 December 1 Historical Platinum Session Signature® Auction #6267 (go to Auction Home page)
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