Cy Twombly's Three Studies from the Temeraire (1998-1999) is a captivating oil on canvas triptych that engages deeply with themes of myth, history, and the passage of time. This artwork, painted in the later years of Twombly's life, signifies a reflective period where the artist's work coalesced into a single, epic narrative, inspired indirectly by J.M.W. Turner's The Fighting Temeraire. The connection to Turner's work emerged as Twombly was working on three initially independent canvases in his Gaeta studio, which eventually united into a dialogue with Turner’s masterpiece during the "Encounters: new art from old" exhibition at the National Gallery in London in 2000 (Art Gallery of NSW) (Cuseum).
Twombly's triptych evokes a sense of passage and transition, with ships that seem to drift, float, and sail into infinity, echoing the final journey of the Temeraire as depicted by Turner. This narrative is supported by the fluidity and dynamism of Twombly's brushwork, which blends sky and water into a singular, immersive experience. The three canvases, when viewed together, create a potent panorama that suggests a procession or multiple images of the same ship at different points in its historical journey, thereby embodying themes of continuity and the cyclical nature of time (Art Gallery of NSW) (Cuseum).
These works reflect Twombly's deep interest in classical antiquity and the continuous thread that links past to present. The artist's approach to the Three Studies from the Temeraire showcases his unique ability to invoke the heroic and the melancholic through abstract expression, as well as his fascination with the interplay of light, depth, and mystery, qualities he admired in Turner’s work. Twombly's interpretation, however, diverges from Turner’s more representational style, offering instead a modern, abstracted take that challenges and expands the dialogue between contemporary and historical art forms (Art Gallery of NSW).
Cy Twombly's journey as an artist was marked by his exploration of painting and sculpture, often drawing upon literature, mythology, and history. After moving to Rome in 1957, Twombly's work became known for its distinctive marks and scribbles against rich, absorbent backgrounds, diverging from the prevailing trends of Pop Art and Minimalism in New York. His oeuvre is characterized by a blend of intellectual sophistication and emotional depth, with later works exhibiting a more contemplative and matured style that acknowledges his admiration for artists like Monet and Turner (Kiddle).
Three Studies from the Temeraire stands as a testament to Twombly's enduring fascination with the sea, ships, and the narratives they carry, bridging the gap between ancient and modern worlds through the canvas's textured surface and evocative imagery. This work, along with the rest of Twombly's oeuvre, invites viewers into a contemplative dialogue with history, myth, and the passage of time, underscoring the artist's legacy as a bridge between the past and the present.
