Portrait of Cy Twombly

Meet the 100 Most Famous Paintings by Cy Twombly

Updated Ekim 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 116 works by Cy Twombly in our catalogue

In short

If you know one Cy Twombly painting, it's probably The Rose (IV) (2008). Proteus (1984) and Quattro Stagioni, Autunno (1995) round out the three pieces people recognise right away. Our catalogue has 116 works by Cy Twombly. Below are the 100 people know best, each with its year, where to find it and what makes it special.

1928 – 2011, Lexington Abstract expressionism Most works: Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi

Start here: the top 10 Cy Twombly paintings

1
The Rose (IV) (2008) by Cy Twombly

The Rose (IV)

2008 · Acrylic On Canvas

The Rose (IV) by Cy Twombly: A Symphony of Color and Poetic Echoes Subject: The painting "The Rose (IV)" by Cy Twombly is an arresting exploration of the rose motif, rendered through a vibrant and dynamic abstract expressionist style. It’s not merely a depiction of a flower; it's an invocation of beauty, passion, and the transient nature of existence, deeply rooted in historical and literary references. Style: As a quintessential…

2
Proteus (1984) by Cy Twombly

Proteus

1984 · Painting

To stand before Cy Twombly's Proteus is to encounter not merely paint on canvas, but a vibrant conversation across decades—a dialogue between raw energy and profound mythology. Created in 1984, this work pulses with the unmistakable spirit of Neo-Expressionism, a movement that yearned for visceral feeling after the cool intellectualism of earlier art forms. Twombly’s signature style here is breathtaking; it seems less applied and more excavated, as if the…

3
Quattro Stagioni, Autunno (1995) by Cy Twombly

Quattro Stagioni, Autunno

1995 · Mixed Media

Quattro Stagioni, Autunno is a painting by Cy Twombly. Created in 1995, this work exists as a single movement within a larger cycle. It is part of the Quattro Stagioni series, a collection of four canvases that map the passage of time. This specific piece, Autunno, follows the sequence established by its counterparts: Primavera, Estate, and Inverno.

4
Dutch Interior (1962) by Cy Twombly

Dutch Interior

1962 · Acrylic On Canvas · Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi, New York

Cy Twombly's 1962 painting, *Dutch Interior*, isn’t merely a depiction of a room; it’s an immersive experience, a layered meditation on the act of creation itself. Emerging from a spacious studio in central Rome—a space that liberated him from the constraints of smaller formats—Twombly embarked on a work that immediately challenged conventional notions of representation. The painting’s genesis is inextricably linked to this new environment; it feels less like a…

5
Quattro Stagioni, Estate (1995) by Cy Twombly

Quattro Stagioni, Estate

1995 · Mixed Media

Introduction to Cy Twombly and his Artistic Style Cy Twombly, born Edwin Parker Twombly Jr. in 1928, was an American painter, sculptor, and photographer who spent much of his career living and working in Italy. His art is characterized by its large-scale, freely-scribbled, calligraphic, and graffiti-like qualities, often incorporating poetic elements from various sources. Quattro Stagioni, Estate: A Representation of Summer 'Quattro Stagioni, Estate' (1993-1994) is the second painting in…

6
The Four Seasons - Summer - Part II (1994) by Cy Twombly

The Four Seasons - Summer - Part II

1994 · Tuval Üzerine Akrilik Boya · MoMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City

Edwin Parker Twombly Jr., universally known as Cy Twombly, stands apart from the titans of 20th-century art—an American painter, sculptor, and photographer whose oeuvre defied easy categorization. Born April 25, 1928, in Lexington, Virginia, his artistic journey began with a grounding in classical education and an irrepressible spirit that propelled him across continents. Early studies under Pierre Daura at Washington and Lee University were followed by formative experiences at the…

7
Untitled (19) (1970) by Cy Twombly

Untitled (19)

1970 · Mixed Media

Untitled (19) is a work by the American painter Cy Twombly, executed in 1970. This piece belongs to the artist's celebrated "blackboard" series, a period marked by a shift toward graphic regularity and formal restraint. The work is rooted in abstract expressionism, utilizing a specific vocabulary of gestural marks that emerged from Twombly's evolving aesthetic.

8
Fifty Days at Iliam. The Fire that Consumes All before It (1978) by Cy Twombly

Fifty Days at Iliam. The Fire that Consumes All before It

1978 · Oil On Canvas

The canvas of Fifty Days at Iliam. The Fire that Consumes All before It pulses with a heavy, urgent energy. Created by Cy Twombly in 1978, this work exists as the fourth movement in a larger, ten-part cycle known as Fifty Days at Iliam. The narrative tension within the paint draws directly from the ancient echoes of Homer’s Iliad, specifically through the lens of Alexander Pope’s eighteenth-century translation. It is…

9
Untitled (1954) by Cy Twombly

Untitled

1954 · Painting

This work, titled Untitled, was created by Cy Twombly in 1954. It represents a specific moment in the artist's early development, emerging from a period of significant transition. The piece carries the weight of a singular vision, captured through a deliberate and personal application of medium.

10
Cold Stream (1966) by Cy Twombly

Cold Stream

1966

Introduction to Cy Twombly Edwin Parker "Cy" Twombly Jr. (April 25, 1928 – July 5, 2011) was an American painter, sculptor, and photographer known for his large-scale, abstract works that often incorporated text and symbols. Born in Lexington, Virginia, Twombly studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston before serving in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, he continued his studies…

More Cy Twombly favourites, 11 to 100

11Untitled (Rome [Wall]) (1961) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (Rome [Wall]) (1961)Galleria Civica di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Torino 12Ferragosto V (1961) by Cy TwomblyFerragosto V1961 13Fifty Days at Iliam. Shades of Achilles, Patroclus, and Hector (1978) by Cy TwomblyFifty Days at Iliam. Shades of Achilles, Patroclus, and Hector1978 14Pan II (1980) by Cy TwomblyPan II1980 15Untitled (29) (1988) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (29)1988 16Quattro Stagioni, Estate (1995) by Cy TwomblyQuattro Stagioni, Estate1995 17Leaving Paphos Ringed With Waves III (2009) by Cy TwomblyLeaving Paphos Ringed With Waves III2009 18Nine discourses on Commodus (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine discourses on Commodus1963 · Guggenheim Müzesi Bilbao 19School of Athens (1961) by Cy TwomblySchool of Athens1961 20Ferragosto III (1961) by Cy TwomblyFerragosto III1961 21Untitled (20) (1970) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (20)1970 22Suma (1982) by Cy TwomblySuma1982 23Untitled Part VI (1988) by Cy TwomblyUntitled Part VI1988 24Odeion (Rome) (1960) by Cy TwomblyOdeion (Rome)1960 · Bavarian State Painting Collections 25Four Seasons, Autumn Part III (1994) by Cy TwomblyFour Seasons, Autumn Part III1994 26FOUR SEASONS, PART I, SPRING (1994) by Cy TwomblyFOUR SEASONS, PART I, SPRING1994 27Quattro Stagioni. Primavera (1995) by Cy TwomblyQuattro Stagioni. Primavera1995 28The Rose (V) (2008) by Cy TwomblyThe Rose (V)2008 29Leda and the Swan (1962) by Cy TwomblyLeda and the Swan1962 30Untitled (1953) by Cy TwomblyUntitled1953 31Untitled Part VIII (1988) by Cy TwomblyUntitled Part VIII1988 32Night Watch (1966) by Cy TwomblyNight Watch1966 33Academy (1955) by Cy TwomblyAcademy1955 34School of Athens (1964) by Cy TwomblySchool of Athens1964 35Leda and the Swan (1963) by Cy TwomblyLeda and the Swan1963 36Untitled (23) (1972) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (23)1972 37Returning from Tonnicoda (1973) by Cy TwomblyReturning from Tonnicoda1973 38Fifty Days at Iliam. Shades of Eternal Night (1978) by Cy TwomblyFifty Days at Iliam. Shades of Eternal Night1978 39Lepanto, panel 8 by Cy TwomblyLepanto, panel 8 40Lepanto, panel 7 by Cy TwomblyLepanto, panel 7 41Anabasis (Xenephon) (1983) by Cy TwomblyAnabasis (Xenephon)1983 42Souvenir (1992) by Cy TwomblySouvenir1992 43Untitled (31) (1990) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (31)1990 44Nicola's Irises (1990) by Cy TwomblyNicola's Irises1990 45Untitled (Peonias series) (2007) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (Peonias series)2007 46Untitled, (Blooming, A Scattering of Blossoms ^ Other Things) (2007) by Cy TwomblyUntitled, (Blooming, A Scattering of Blossoms ^ Other Things)2007 47Leaving Paphos Ringed With Waves V (2009) by Cy TwomblyLeaving Paphos Ringed With Waves V2009 48Untitled (33) (2008) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (33)2008 49Camino Real (II) (2010) by Cy TwomblyCamino Real (II)2010 50Untitled (1953) by Cy TwomblyUntitled1953 · Bavarian State Painting Collections 51Lepanto, panel 4 by Cy TwomblyLepanto, panel 4 52Wilder by Cy TwomblyWilder 53Untitled (38) (1953) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (38)1953 54Untitled (1951) by Cy TwomblyUntitled1951 55Quarzeat (1953) by Cy TwomblyQuarzeat1953 56Landscape (1951) by Cy TwomblyLandscape1951 57Myo (1951) by Cy TwomblyMyo1951 58Solon I (1952) by Cy TwomblySolon I1952 59Min-Oe (1951) by Cy TwomblyMin-Oe1951 60Ritual (1949) by Cy TwomblyRitual1949 61Sunset (1957) by Cy TwomblySunset1957 62Panorama (1955) by Cy TwomblyPanorama1955 63Untitled (1961) by Cy TwomblyUntitled1961 64Untitled (1960) by Cy TwomblyUntitled1960 · Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi 65Untitled, Rome (1960) by Cy TwomblyUntitled, Rome1960 66Ferragosto IV (1961) by Cy TwomblyFerragosto IV1961 67Untitled (1961) by Cy TwomblyUntitled1961 68Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part I (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part I1963 69Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part II (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part II1963 70Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part VI (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part VI1963 71Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part V (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part V1963 72Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part IV (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part IV1963 73Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part III (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part III1963 74Nine Discourses on Commodus (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus1963 75Nine Discourses on Commodus, , Part VII (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, , Part VII1963 76Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part IX (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part IX1963 77Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part VIII (1963) by Cy TwomblyNine Discourses on Commodus, Part VIII1963 78Untitled (1967) (1967) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (1967)1967 79Synopsis of a Battle (1968) by Cy TwomblySynopsis of a Battle1968 80Untitled (1970) by Cy TwomblyUntitled1970 · Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi 81Pan (1975) by Cy TwomblyPan1975 82Fifty Days at Iliam. Ilians in Battle (1978) by Cy TwomblyFifty Days at Iliam. Ilians in Battle1978 83Fifty Days at Iliam. Shield of Achilles (1978) by Cy TwomblyFifty Days at Iliam. Shield of Achilles1978 84Anabasis (1983) by Cy TwomblyAnabasis1983 85Untitled (25) (1985) by Cy TwomblyUntitled (25)1985 86Olympia (1957) by Cy TwomblyOlympia1957 87Untitled Part VII (1988) by Cy TwomblyUntitled Part VII1988 88Untitled Part V (1988) by Cy TwomblyUntitled Part V1988 89Four Seasons, Part IV Winter (1994) by Cy TwomblyFour Seasons, Part IV Winter1994 90Coronation of Sesostris (2000) by Cy TwomblyCoronation of Sesostris2000 91Coronation of Sesostris (2000) by Cy TwomblyCoronation of Sesostris2000 92Lepanto, panel 5 (2001) by Cy TwomblyLepanto, panel 52001 93Untitled, (Blooming, A Scattering of Blossoms ^ Other Things) (2007) by Cy TwomblyUntitled, (Blooming, A Scattering of Blossoms ^ Other Things)2007 94The Rose (III) (2008) by Cy TwomblyThe Rose (III)2008 95The Rose (I) (2008) by Cy TwomblyThe Rose (I)2008 96Leaving Paphos Ringed With Waves IV (2009) by Cy TwomblyLeaving Paphos Ringed With Waves IV2009 97The Rose (II) (2008) by Cy TwomblyThe Rose (II)2008 98The Ceiling (2010) by Cy TwomblyThe Ceiling2010 99Camino Real (IV) (2010) by Cy TwomblyCamino Real (IV)2010 100Untitled I (2005) by Cy TwomblyUntitled I2005

Cy Twombly's paintings, period by period

What Cy Twombly painted most

The four subjects that come up most often in these pieces, each with its best-known example.

Where you can see Cy Twombly's paintings

The 5 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by Cy Twombly Paintings from this list
Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi, New YorkMetropolitan Sanat Müzesi New York 3 Dutch Interior, Untitled, Untitled
Bavarian State Painting Collections, MünihBavarian State Painting Collections Münih 2 Odeion (Rome), Untitled
MoMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York CityMoMA - Museum of Modern Art New York City 1 The Four Seasons - Summer - Part II
Galleria Civica di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Torino, TorinoGalleria Civica di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Torino Torino 1 Untitled (Rome [Wall]) (1961)
Guggenheim Müzesi Bilbao, BilbaoGuggenheim Müzesi Bilbao Bilbao 1 Nine discourses on Commodus

Cy Twombly decade by decade: one standout piece each

Works per decade

Pick a decade to see its standout piece.

Your questions about Cy Twombly's paintings

Which Cy Twombly painting is the most famous?See the answer

Top of the list is The Rose (IV) (2008). Right behind it: Proteus (1984) and Quattro Stagioni, Autunno (1995).

How old was Cy Twombly when The Rose (IV) was made?See the answer

80 years old. Cy Twombly was born in 1928, and The Rose (IV) dates from 2008.

What are the 10 best-known Cy Twombly paintings?See the answer

The Rose (IV), Proteus, Quattro Stagioni, Autunno, Dutch Interior, Quattro Stagioni, Estate, The Four Seasons - Summer - Part II, Untitled (19), Fifty Days at Iliam. The Fire that Consumes All before It, Untitled and Cold Stream. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.

How many paintings did Cy Twombly create?See the answer

We have 116 works by Cy Twombly in our catalogue, dated 1949 to 2010.

Where can you see Cy Twombly's famous paintings?See the answer

You'll find most of them in Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi (New York), Bavarian State Painting Collections (Münih) and MoMA - Museum of Modern Art (New York City). The museum list above has the full breakdown.

When did Cy Twombly paint the best-known pieces?See the answer

In 1960s, more than any other time: 28 of the 100 pieces on this page date from then, Dutch Interior among them.

Which famous Cy Twombly paintings came first and last?See the answer

The earliest piece here is Ritual (1949); the most recent is Camino Real (II) (2010).

What subjects show up most in Cy Twombly's paintings?See the answer

Flowers (5), Color field (4) and Scribbles (4), out of the 100 pieces on this page.

What materials did Cy Twombly paint with most?See the answer

Mixed Media, used in 5 of the 100 pieces on this page.

What art movement was Cy Twombly part of?See the answer

Abstract expressionism and Neo expressionism, as you can see in the pieces on this page.

Which Cy Twombly pieces can you see at the Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi?See the answer

You can see 3 of the pieces on this page at the Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi, New York, including Dutch Interior, Untitled and Untitled.

Getting to know Cy Twombly

Çizgi ve Renkle Kazınmış Bir Yaşam

Dünyaya Cy Twombly olarak tanınan Edwin Parker Twombly Jr., 20. ve 21. yüzyıl sanatının eşsiz bir gücüydü; eserleri kolayca sınıflandırılamayan Amerikalı bir ressam, heykeltıraş ve fotoğrafçıydı. 25 Nisan 1928'de Virginia, Lexington'da doğan sanatçının yolculuğu, klasik eğitimle harmanlanmış sağlam bir temelle ve onu kıtalar arası bir yolculuğa sürükleyen huzursuz bir ruhla başladı. Washington and Lee Üniversitesi'nde Pierre Daura yönetimindeki ilk çalışmaları, New York Arts Students League ve Black Mountain College'daki biçimlendirici deneyimlerle devam etti; burada Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage ve Merce Cunningham gibi dönüm noktası niteliğindeki isimlerle tanıştı. Bu karşılaşmalar, sanat vizyonunu derinden şekillendirecek olan bir deneyleme ve disiplinler arası keşif ortamını besledi. Ancak, Virginia Güzel Sanatlar Müzesi'nden alınan bir bursla Rauschenberg ile 1952 yılında İtalya ve Kuzey Afrika'ya yaptığı yolculuk, asıl dönüştürücü güç oldu. Antik kalıntılara, canlı kültürlere ve tarihin ağırlığına kendini kaptıran Twombly, gelecek on yıllar boyunca estetiğini tanımlayacak bir ilham kaynağı keşfetti.

Gizemli Bir Üslubun Evrimi

Twombly’nin sanatsal üslubu hazır bir şekilde doğmadı; bir dizi keşif ve rafine etme süreciyle evrildi. North African Sketchbooks (1953) gibi erken dönem eserleri, soyut formlar ile şiirsel referansların eşsiz karışımının ipuçlarını şimdiden veriyordu. Bunlar sadece birer seyahat günlüğü değil, mekanın özüne yapılan araştırmalar; ışığın, dokunun ve hafızanın damıtılmış haliydi. 1960'lar boyunca Twombly’nin tarzı, geniş tuvaller üzerindeki karalanmış çizgiler, jestsel izler ve parçalanmış kelimelerden oluşan kendine has bir sözcük dağarcığı etrafında kenetlenmeye başladı. Ferragosto serisi (1961) ve The Italians (1961) gibi eserler bu dönemi örnekler; hem antik yazıtları hem de grafitinin aniliğini çağrıştıran, kaligrafi ile kaos arasında var olan resimler... Sanatçı gerçekliği kopyalamakla değil, daha ziyade bir duygu, hafıza ve zamanın geçiş hissini yakalamakla ilgileniyordu. Bu yaklaşım, geleneksel resim anlayışına meydanda bulunarak, temsilden daha öznel ve duygusal olarak yankı uyandıran bir ifade biçimine doğru ilerledi. Karman çorman döngüleri ve cesur metinleriyle Cold Stream (1966), bu etkileyici üslubun güçlü bir örneğidir.

Etkiler ve Sanatsal Soy Kütüğü

Twombly’nin çalışmaları son derece bağımsız olsa da, bir boşlukta yaratılmamıştı. Jean Dubuffet ve Alberto Giacometti'nin ham enerjisinden; Stéphane Mallarmé, Rainer Maria Rilke ve John Keats'in şiirsel duyarlılıklarına kadar çok çeşitli kaynaklardan ilham aldı. Klasik mitoloji ve tarih de ona keşfedilecek zengin bir tema ve sembol dokusu sunarak önemli bir rol oynadı. Resimleri sıklıkla antik anlatılara atıfta bulunur, hikaye ve efsane parçalarını ustaca birbirine örer. Twombly’nin sonraki nesil sanatçılar üzerindeki etkisi yadsınamaz. Benzer bir deneyleme ruhunu ve duygusal yoğunluğu benimseyen Jean-Michel Basquiat, Anselm Kiefer, Francesco Clemente ve Julian Schnabel gibi ressamların önünü açtı. Geleneksel sınırları yıkma ve yeni ifade biçimlerini keşfetme konusundaki istekliliği, statükoyu zorlamaya çalışan sanatçılarda derin bir yankı buldu. Resmin sadece bir temsil olmaktan öte; karmaşık duyguları, fikirleri ve deneyimleri aktarabilecek bir araç olabileceğini kanıtladı.

Büyük Başarılar ve Kalıcı Miras

Kariyeri boyunca Twombly, 2001 yılında Venedik Bienali'nde kazandığı Altın Aslan ödülü ve 2010 yılında Légion d'Honneur Şövalyesi olarak seçilmesi dahil olmak üzere sayısız onurla ödüllendirildi. Eserleri; Houston'daki Menil Collection, Londra'daki Tate Modern ve New York'taki Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) dahil olmak üzere dünya çapındaki önemli müze koleksiyonlarında temsil edilmektedir. Özellikle Paris'teki Musée du Louvre için bir tavan parçası tasarlamak üzere görevlendirilmesi, uluslararası tanınırlığının ve sanatsal büyüklüğünün bir kanıtıydı. Şu anda New South Wales Sanat Galerisi'nde bulunan Three studies from the Temeraire (1998-99), hem zarif hem de güçlü olan geç dönem tarzını örnekler. Twombly’nin gizemli üslubu, sanat meraklılarını ve akademisyenleri büyülemeye devam ediyor. Resimleri izleyicileri bir diyaloğa girmeye; boya katmanları ve karalanmış çizgiler arasındaki gizli anlamları çözmeye davet ediyor. 5 Temmuz 2011'de Roma'da kanserle verdiği uzun mücadele sonrası hayata gözlerini yuman sanatçı, gelecek nesillere ilham vermeye ve sanatçıları zorlamaya devam edecek bir miras bıraktı. Santa Maria in Vallicella'daki bir plaket, onun sanat dünyasına yaptığı derin katkının kalıcı bir anıtı olarak hizmet etmektedir.

Twombly’nin Dünyasını Keşfetmek

Cy Twombly'nin eseri, insan deneyiminin karmaşıklığı üzerine düşünmeye; hafıza, tarih ve duygu alemlerine dalmaya bir davettir. Resimleri sadece hayran olunacak nesneler değil, başka bir dünyaya açılan kapılardır; çizgilerin dans ettiği, kelimelerin fısıldadığı ve duyguların şekil aldığı bir dünya. İster Untitled (Peony Blossom Painting) eserinin canlı enerjisi olsun, ister Proteus'un etkileyici soyutlaması, her çalışma sanatçının içsel manzarasına eşsiz bir bakış sunar. Etkisi resmin ötesine geçerek heykel ve fotoğrafı da etkilemiştir. Twombly'nin dehasını gerçekten takdir etmek için, insan kendini onun çizgilerinin akışkanlığına, renklerinin zenginliğine ve şiirsel vizyonunun derinliğine bırakmalıdır.
  • Cy Twombly'nin eserlerini keşfedin ArtsDot üzerinde.
  • Cy Twombly hakkında daha fazlasını okuyun Wikipedia'da.
  • Twombly'nin sipariş edilen eserini içeren Musée du Louvre koleksiyonunu keşfedin, ArtsDot: Musée du Louvre üzerinden.

All 116 works by Cy Twombly →