Cy Twombly's Untitled (Bolsena) series, created in 1969, represents a pivotal moment in the artist's career, showcasing a departure from his earlier works towards a more complex interplay of symbols, numbers, and forms. This series of 14 large paintings was conceived during an intensely productive period at the Palazzo del Drago, a solitary stone house overlooking Lake Bolsena, north of Rome. The works combine oil-based house paint, wax crayon, and graphite on canvas, presenting a raw, dynamic exploration of form and abstraction that stands distinct from Twombly's previous "blackboard" paintings (National Gallery of Art).
The Bolsena series is characterized by its use of scribbles, numbers, and diagrammatic signs that seem to allude to various thematic concerns, including the Apollo moon landing of July 1969. This historical event, dominating the news at the time of the series' creation, seems to find echoes in the cryptic, scattered notations and mathematical figures that populate the canvases. This incorporation of contemporary events alongside classical references underscores Twombly's continued fascination with bridging the past with the present, embedding layers of meaning within the visual chaos (National Gallery of Art).
Twombly's work during this period reflects a broader thematic exploration of history, mythology, and the passage of time. The varied marks and symbols in the Bolsena paintings, ranging from precise geometric figures to more gestural, abstract elements, suggest a narrative complexity that invites multiple interpretations. The inclusion of erasures and obscured segments adds to the sense of these works as palimpsests, metaphorically rich canvases that speak to the layering of historical memory and the impermanence of human endeavor (National Gallery of Art).
The Bolsena series also marks a significant shift in Twombly's artistic language, moving away from the repetitive inscriptions of his earlier works to embrace a more expansive and vibrant visual vocabulary. This change is reflective of Twombly's constant innovation and his refusal to be confined by any singular style or technique. The works are celebrated for their lyrical intensity, the urgency of their mark-making, and their capacity to convey complex emotional and intellectual themes through abstract means (Sothebys.com).
Untitled (Bolsena) encapsulates the essence of Twombly's practice: the tension between creation and erasure, the interplay of text and image, and the profound engagement with the weight of history and myth. These paintings are a testament to Twombly's enduring influence in the art world, demonstrating his unique ability to capture the poetic and the monumental within the confines of the canvas (Sothebys.com).