'Ecstatic impulses': Cy Twombly's 'Untitled (Bacchus)', 2006—08

This article discusses "Untitled (Bacchus)" (2006-08), 3 large paintings currently on view at Tate Modern, London, by the American artist Cy Twombly (b.1929). The authors note the influence of Homer's "Iliad" in Twombly's continuing exploration of the theme of the ecsta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Burlington magazine 2010-09, Vol.152 (1290), p.613-616
Main Authors: CULLINAN, NICHOLAS, SEROTA, NICHOLAS
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This article discusses "Untitled (Bacchus)" (2006-08), 3 large paintings currently on view at Tate Modern, London, by the American artist Cy Twombly (b.1929). The authors note the influence of Homer's "Iliad" in Twombly's continuing exploration of the theme of the ecstasy and insanity of the Roman god Bacchus, and suggest that the paintings raise important questions about the artist's recent work and about the concept of late style more generally. They go on to discuss Twombly's use of acrylic paint from the late 1970s, and a new ease and simplicity in his work of the last few years, suggesting that the paintings represent an escalation of both the calligraphic motif that has been present in his work from the beginning, and an ecstatic element that has appeared intermittently. They note the paintings' evocation of both blood and wine, and conclude by observing a Mannerist influence on their scale and painterly qualities, which further connect them with Twombly's early attempts to respond to the poured and dripped paintings of the American artist Jackson Pollock (1912-1956). (Quotes from original text)
ISSN:0007-6287