Cy Twombly (1928-2011) — a celebrated painter and sculptor, but photographer as well — was American-born and educated, yet affectionately bound to European culture and sensibility. Inspired by Greek mythology and Mediterranean history, his work is rooted in the link between the past and present. While his musings on the past is at times blatant, like the litany of Greek figures ("Apollo Musagetes Phoebus Smintheus Agyieus Platanistius") scrawled on canvas, his reverence for history is more subtle in his photographic work.
The photographs, although chiefly serving as ideas and models for paintings or sculptures, reflect his thoughts on the past and the complex beauty of antiquity, in their own right. The photographs — soft, ethereal, colorful celebrations of fleeting moments — are inherently poetic. The photographs here make it clear how photography informed Twombly's successful career. We invite you to take time and pleasure in what you find in them.
— Catherine Rierson
Photos courtesy of The Lambert Collection in Avignon, France.
FeatureLe Temps RetrouvéCy Twombly’s photographs, although chiefly serving as ideas and models for paintings or sculptures, reflect his thoughts on the past and the complex beauty of antiquity in their own right.View Images
Feature
Le Temps Retrouvé
Cy Twombly’s photographs, although chiefly serving as ideas and models for paintings or sculptures, reflect his thoughts on the past and the complex beauty of antiquity in their own right.
Le Temps Retrouvé
Cy Twombly’s photographs, although chiefly serving as ideas and models for paintings or sculptures, reflect his thoughts on the past and the complex beauty of antiquity in their own right.
Trending this Week
Mother—The Images I Still Love.
“Photographs are like your own children…” An internationally regarded portrait photographer reveals a hand-picked selection of previously unpublished works, alongside a few words to accompany her choices.
Announcing the Winners and Finalists—Magnum Photography Awards 2017
We are very pleased to present the 41 award-winning photographers selected by Magnum and LensCulture for the second annual Magnum Photography Awards! Discover a remarkable range of inspiring work from this talented, accomplished group of...
Daily Bread
What do children in different countries around the world eat in the course of a week? An investigation of eating habits in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and beyond.
La Famille
An intimate family album documents the freedoms of childhood among six siblings “at the edge of the world” in rural France.
In Search of the Poets and New Masters of Street Photography
Who are the next great street photographers? Where will we find them? Photo editor Olivier Laurent shares his insights.
Emmy’s World
After a chance encounter, a young photographer forges a close bond with two artists who have been married for over half a century. A tender and intimate portrait of friendship and family.
Related
Dark Grandeur
Abstract fine art that celebrates old-school photography — darkroom chemicals, light, paper, collage, and the hand of the artist.
Topophilia
Aiming to convey “an emotional experience of space,” Murray Fredericks describes an inner, rather than outer landscape, at the heart of Greenland’s Ice Sheet.
Richard Avedon’s private collection of photographs
It’s interesting to note what the great masters choose to have around
to inspire them. Here’s a brief look at what Richard Avedon liked to
keep.
Beneath the Surface: Victoria and Albert Museum Photo Collection
An exclusive video interview which plumbs the depths of the world’s oldest museum collection of photographs, showcasing hidden gems and offering new perspectives on the photograph as a rich, layered object. © Rut Blees Luxemburg
Ms. Ulmer: 90 Years an Artist
A touching portrait of a woman whose life-long companion has been art. Each day, for 90 years, she has drawn, illustrated, posed and created—doing her small part to bring a little more beauty into the world.
The Crossing
Photographs, archives and found materials explore people and places existing on the margins of society at large, posing questions that may be impossible to answer.