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Jack Flam (Editor), Katy Rogers (Editor), Tim Clifford (Editor)
Description: Robert Motherwell: Paintings and Collages (A Catalogue Raisonné,...
This concise key to the catalogue raisonné entries has been condensed from the “Usage Guide to the Catalogue Entries” in volume 1, to which the reader should refer for a more detailed treatment of the issues that are addressed here.
Author
Jack Flam (Editor), Katy Rogers (Editor), Tim Clifford (Editor)
PublisherYale University Press
https://doi.org/10.37862/aaeportal.00105.026
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Key to the Catalogue Entries
This concise key to the catalogue raisonné entries has been condensed from the “Usage Guide to the Catalogue Entries” in volume 1, to which the reader should refer for a more detailed treatment of the issues that are addressed here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
A is a work executed (either wholly or in part) in the medium of paint—such as oil, acrylic, alkyd enamel, casein, or tempera—on a support of canvas, canvas board, wood, Masonite, Upson board, Bone Board, or any other composite board panel (other than paperboard).
A collage is a work in any medium, on any support, that has a pasted-on (or, more rarely, taped-on) element or elements.
A painting on paper is a painting executed in the medium of paint (as described above) on a support of paper or paperboard (board composed of pulp without added wood particles, such as rag board, illustration board, cardboard, Tycore, or mat board), or on Mylar or any similar kind of flexible plastic sheet.
Drawings are not included in this catalogue raisonné, but will be published in a subsequent catalogue dedicated to Motherwell’s drawings. For the purposes of this publication, drawings are works on paper without a collage element that are executed exclusively in dry mediums (such as graphite, charcoal, or crayon), in fluid mediums other than paint (such as ink, watercolor, or gouache, which is an opaque form of watercolor), or in both the dry and fluid mediums listed above. Every effort has been made to make accurate distinctions between paintings on paper and drawings, which are sometimes quite difficult to ascertain.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE ENTRIES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WORKS
In each entry, information about the work is given in the following order:
Catalogue Raisonné Number
Title
Alternative Title(s)
Date
Materials (Mediums and Supports)
Dimensions
Inscriptions
Artist’s Studio Number
Present Owner
Provenance
Exhibitions
References
Comments
CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ NUMBER
Each catalogue raisonné number includes a prefix letter (P, C, or W) that designates its medium category. Works within each category are numbered separately and preceded by the letter that designates the category to which they belong: P1–P1209 for paintings on canvas or panel; C1–C889 for collages; and W1–W722 for paintings on paper or paperboard. Within each category sequence, the numbering reflects the general chronological order of the works.
TITLE
We prefer titles that are inscribed on the work, that were used in public exhibitions or publications of the work, or that reflect Motherwell’s stated preference as the title of the work. But these three kinds of information sometimes conflict: inscribed titles sometimes refer to earlier versions that have been radically altered; titles used in public exhibitions were sometimes later changed; and many works that remained in the artist’s studio were never given formal titles. The latter were often given “studio titles”—descriptive titles that were normally entered on the 5 x 8–inch inventory cards known as “studio cards.” Sometimes pictures went out into the world with such titles, but more frequently they were given formal titles when Motherwell consigned them to a gallery or exhibited them. Many of the works in his studio at the time of his death had been given only studio titles.
In the catalogue entries, we have used codes to differentiate between studio titles given to works during Motherwell’s lifetime and titles given posthumously by the Dedalus Foundation: lifetime studio titles are enclosed within square brackets [ ] and posthumous studio titles within braces { }. These codes, it should be noted, are used only in the entries for this catalogue raisonné. When such works are referred to elsewhere in this publication, the brackets and braces are not used.
Works that are part of a series, whether done at the same time or over a period of several years, are given normative titles without a comma before the number of the work within the series. We use “No.” to designate “Number,” even if the title inscribed on the back of the work uses a number sign to designate the number of the work within the series. The use of Arabic numbers and Roman numerals generally follows Motherwell’s own (often inconsistent) use of those two numbering systems.
Not all works in all series were given numbers, and the numbering of series often has gaps, repetitions, or both.
ALTERNATIVE TITLE(S)
A number of works have had more than one valid title over time. These other titles are listed under Alternative Title(s). They include titles that were at one time used publicly in exhibitions or publications, and titles that are inscribed on the versos of works but that have been superseded by other titles.
Alternative titles are listed in chronological order, beginning with the earliest. Some alternative titles were public titles (the work was publicly exhibited under that title, or the title appears on an exhibition checklist), while others were not (for example, a title that appears on a studio inventory card, a studio list, or a gallery shipping list). Errors regarding titles in published sources are noted only in the references to those sources, not in the Alternative Title line.
Translations of Motherwell’s English-language titles in foreign exhibitions or publications are not given as Alternative Titles.
DATE
Motherwell frequently reworked his paintings and collages, sometimes years or even decades after they had been begun. As a result, the dates that he inscribed on his works frequently indicate when they were started rather than when they were finished. Often works remained in his studio continuously between the times when they were revised; but almost as frequently, they were sent out on consignment or to exhibitions, or published, or both, before they were reworked. In order to convey these different conditions in a succinct manner, dates or ranges of dates are expressed in different ways in this publication, depending on the specific circumstances under which the works were revised.
If a picture was done within a single year, it is dated simply to that year, such as 1961, or, if the exact date is uncertain, ca. 1961.
When a picture was worked on over the course of more than one year and did not leave the studio during that time, its date range is given with the starting and finishing dates separated by a dash (as in 1961–64).
If a picture was started in one year, then left the studio on consignment or for an exhibition before it was reworked at another time, its starting and finishing dates are separated by a forward slash (as in 1961/1964).
If Motherwell worked on a picture continuously over a period of time, sent it out, then had it returned to him and revised it, the dates are separated by both dashes and forward slashes (as in 1961–64/1973).
This process of revision after exhibition or consignment was sometimes repeated, so the date of a work can be expressed in terms as complex as 1975–77/1982/1985/1988. The placement of such a work within the chronological sequence of works in its medium category would depend on the main characteristics of its present form. A work with a history of revision as complex as this one could be placed among works from a number of different years, ranging from 1975 to 1988, depending on the nature of the revisions that were made. Pictures that were worked on at more than one time are placed according to when they took on their most salient characteristics. As a result, some pictures are placed chronologically by when they were started, while others are placed according to when they were finished, and still others are placed according to the date of a determinant intermediate state.
In establishing the dates of works, we have made extensive use of photographs taken of works at various stages in their development. Whenever possible, the photographers’ archival numbers are given in the Comments.
The dates we give here sometimes vary from those given in past publications. Our dates are based on extensive and detailed research and supersede the dates that have been previously assigned to the works in question. Issues related to the revision and redating of works are often discussed in the Comments.
MATERIALS (MEDIUMS AND SUPPORTS)
For paintings on canvas or panel (P) and paintings on paper (W), the order of the description of materials is as follows: paint medium, other solid materials (such as sand), graphic materials (if any), and support.
For collages (C), the order of the description of materials is as follows: paint, other solid materials such as sand (if any), pasted materials, graphic materials, and support.
The main paint mediums for both paintings on canvas or panel and paintings on paper are designated as follows: oil, acrylic, casein, and tempera; occasionally, sand or dry pigments were mixed into the paint. (Water-based paints have been variously described as tempera and casein. Although we have tried to be as precise as possible, in some cases we have received conflicting information about whether a work was executed in tempera or casein, and it has not been possible to verify exactly which was used.)
The main pasted materials in collages are paper and cardboard; sometimes other materials were used, such as wood veneer and animal skin. (While we attempt to identify the sources of paper and cardboard elements, such as the brands of cigarettes and other products in the Comments, we do not identify types or brands of paper in the line for mediums and supports.)
Motherwell also used a number of dry graphic materials in his paintings and collages, mainly charcoal, graphite, chalk, ink, crayon, Conté crayon, and China marker.
The main supports for paintings on canvas or panel are as follows: canvas, canvas board (both commercial and studio-made), Masonite, wood, Upson board, Bone Board, or any other composite board panel other than paperboard.
The main supports for paintings on paper are as follows: paper, various kinds of paperboard (such as rag board, illustration board, cardboard, Tycore, or mat board), or Mylar and other kinds of flexible plastic sheets.
The main supports for collages are canvas, canvas board, Upson board, paper, and paperboard.
Works executed on paper but mounted onto panel or board under the artist’s supervision have been grouped with paintings on canvas or panel if the panel or board has been painted on, is visible and therefore part of the work, or plays a role in the visual effect of the work (such as being visible under translucent areas), as in The Voyage (P87). If the mounting onto panel was not done under the supervision of the artist—for example, Gesture Series No. 1 (W373)—or if the panel is not directly visible or does not play a role in the appearance of the work, the work is considered a painting on paper; for example, The Figure 4 on an Elegy (W104).
Works in dry, graphic materials (such as charcoal) on supports with painted grounds, such as canvas, canvas board, Masonite, or toned Upson board, are grouped with paintings on canvas or panel.
DIMENSIONS
Height precedes width. Dimensions are given in inches (using fractions to the nearest eighth), followed by centimeters in parentheses (using decimals rounded off to the nearest tenth).
We distinguish between dimensions that have been taken directly from the work by us or by others and dimensions that have been approximated by calculating the relative sizes of works in photographs.
If the dimensions of a work are not known and cannot be approximated, they are described as “Dimensions unknown.”
INSCRIPTIONS
The Inscriptions field contains signatures, dates, and other inscriptions that appear on either the front (recto) or the back (verso) of a work. Only inscriptions in Motherwell’s own hand are included; verso inscriptions made by others and information on labels are not included.
If the recto of a work has no inscriptions, this is noted as “Recto not signed, not dated.”
If a painting on canvas or panel has no verso inscriptions, or the verso has not been seen, this is noted as “Verso not signed, not dated,” or “Verso not seen.” If a collage or painting on paper has no verso inscriptions, or the verso has not been seen, the verso inscription line is omitted. This is because many fewer collages and paintings on paper contain verso inscriptions, and because those inscriptions that may exist are usually covered by mounting or have been removed by framing.
For each work, the recto and verso inscriptions are listed separately, with the word “Recto” or “Verso” followed by a colon. The inscription itself follows the colon. In the inscription, all signatures, dates, titles, and so forth are given exactly as Motherwell wrote them. A line break in a signature or inscription is designated by a backward slash set off by a single empty space between it and whatever precedes or follows it.
Additional descriptive information about the inscriptions on a work is given in square brackets or parentheses to the left of the colon. As a rule, information in square brackets to the left of the colon is italicized and indicates actions taken, such as crossing out, painting over, or circling; information in parentheses to the left of the colon is not italicized and describes the orientation or direction of the inscription, or clarifies a source of information.
Square brackets to the right of the colon enclose the portion of the inscription that is described by the bracketed action to the left of the colon.
For example:
Verso [crossed out]: [Motherwell]
RECTO INSCRIPTIONS
The positions of recto inscriptions are described as follows: upper left, upper center, upper right, lower left, lower center, lower right.
If an inscription on the recto is scratched into the paint film with a sharp instrument or drawing tool, it is described as “incised.” If an inscription on the recto is both incised and painted or written, it is described as “incised and inscribed.”
On the recto, if all or part of the signature or date (or both) is painted over, that part is described as “painted over” in italic type set within square brackets, with the part of the signature or date that is painted over also set in square brackets (but not italicized).
 
For example:
Recto, upper left, incised [painted over]: [RM 67]
Recto, lower left [partially painted over]: R Motherwell [62]
VERSO INSCRIPTIONS
Verso inscriptions are listed starting at the upper left. Each verso inscription that appears in a different place on the back of the work is placed on a separate line, in order to make clear the distinctive features and idiosyncrasies of the various parts of each inscription.
We indicate whether verso inscriptions are directly on the verso of the work itself, or on a backing board, stretcher, or strainer. If an inscription is not on the work itself, we specify where it is, in parentheses.
The versos of works frequently contain handwritten inscriptions that are not in Motherwell’s hand, which may include titles, dates, medium, inventory numbers, and so forth. These are not included under Inscriptions but are sometimes discussed in the Comments.
In the verso inscriptions, all signatures, dates, titles, and notations about medium and so forth are given exactly as Motherwell wrote them, including particularities or idiosyncrasies such as titles written in full capitals or set within quotation marks (no part of an inscription is placed within quotation marks unless Motherwell put quotation marks around it). A line break in a signature or inscription is designated by a backward slash set off by a single empty space between it and whatever precedes or follows it.
 
For example:
Verso: Robert Motherwell \ «The Sentinel» \ NYC \ October \ 1942
When Motherwell uses a forward slash within an inscription, we keep it as a forward slash, but in order to avoid confusion with the backward slashes that we use to designate line breaks, an empty space is not left between the forward slash and what follows it.
On the verso, if the signature or title has been crossed out or blacked out, this is noted. If some of the words in a verso inscription have been circled or set within a triangle, this is also noted. (A circled number inscribed in Motherwell’s hand on the verso of a work done during the years 1945–55, when he was represented by the Samuel M. Kootz Gallery, designates the Kootz Gallery inventory number of the work, except in P19 and P79, where the significance of the circled numbers is unknown.)
The orientation of an upside-down verso inscription (rotated 180 degrees) is given in terms of the present orientation of the picture. If a verso inscription is upside down, this is noted in parentheses.
If the verso has not been seen but auction catalogues, gallery records, studio cards, or other sources provide information about the verso, “Verso not seen” is followed by the putative inscription information, noted as “per” the provider of the information, quoted directly from the source, and placed within square brackets.
If a work has been relined and we have not been able to see the verso, we note “Verso covered by relining, no longer visible.”
If a work that has been relined had a documented verso inscription (known by pretreatment photographs or other dependable information) that was subsequently covered by relining, we record what we know of the inscription, directly transcribed from the source.
ARTIST’S STUDIO NUMBER
Starting in 1977, studio inventory numbers, called “studio numbers,” were assigned to works in Motherwell’s possession. These were entered on the 5 x 8–inch studio cards that were created for each individual work. The studio numbers were normally also put on the backs of the works, usually on the strainers or frames, almost always by someone other than Motherwell himself.
These studio numbers organized his works by medium (designated by a prefix, such as P for painting) and by year (expressed as a two-digit number), as in “P79” to designate a painting done in 1979. These designations of medium and year were followed by a (usually arbitrary) inventory number, as in “P79-2251.”
Eventually, cards were made for earlier works that had left Motherwell’s studio before the card system was initiated (as the works were published or appeared on the market); this was an early step toward creating a complete catalogue of his works. The works that were catalogued after they had left his studio were usually given inventory numbers of 5000 and higher (for example, P57-5122 and C57-5087). This process of making new studio cards as works came to light continued after Motherwell’s death, supervised by the Dedalus Foundation.
Although the information on the studio cards is not always complete, consistent, or accurate, the cards are a valuable source of information about titles and changes in title, dates, revisions, exhibitions, and consignments. The numbering system on the studio cards established different categories between paintings (P), collages (C), and drawings (D), as well as monotypes (M) and hand-painted or unique impressions of prints (U). Those categories, however, were rather fluid during Motherwell’s lifetime (particularly P’s changed to D’s and vice versa), and the Dedalus Foundation made further changes of category—not always accurate—posthumously. Sometimes works were given more than one studio number; and sometimes the studio numbers were incomplete, with the date or medium left blank, or replaced by fillers, such as asterisks, dashes, empty spaces, or question marks.
As the result of new information that has been discovered in the course of our research, the medium category or date designated by the studio number for a work is sometimes different from the medium or date given in this catalogue raisonné.
If a studio number was not assigned to a work, this field is excluded in the catalogue raisonné entry for that work (as opposed to saying “No studio number”).
PRESENT OWNER
The present owner of each work is listed with the information and credit line provided by the owner. Some owners have wished to remain anonymous and are listed with some variation of “Private collection.” If a work is known to have been destroyed, we note the circumstances of its destruction, if known.
PROVENANCE
The past owners of each work are listed in chronological order, beginning with the first known owner after the work left the artist’s studio, and noting the year in which each owner acquired the work, when known. The present owner is listed as the last entry in the Provenance as well as on the Present Owner line. Auction sales are set in square brackets and include the name of the auction house, the city, date, and lot number, and whether the work is illustrated in the auction catalogue.
Past owners have sometimes wished to remain anonymous and are listed with some variation of “Private collection.”
If a work was destroyed, or is said to have been destroyed, while still in the possession of the artist, the Provenance lists the owner as “The artist.” If Motherwell bought back a work after it had been sold to a collector or museum, he is listed as “Robert Motherwell” rather than as “The artist.” For works that Motherwell left to the Dedalus Foundation, the first owner in the Provenance is “Dedalus Foundation.” The Provenance does not include art dealers and galleries to whom a work was consigned; they are included only if they actually owned the work. (If consignment information is relevant to the provenance, it is dealt with in the Comments.) Gaps in the provenance are indicated by the phrase “unknown owner.”
Any unusual circumstances surrounding the provenance of a work are noted in the Comments rather than in the Provenance, except for stolen works.
EXHIBITIONS
Solo and group exhibitions are listed separately and are arranged chronologically within each separate list. The abbreviated citations refer to the full citations given in the List of Exhibitions (see volume 1), in which solo and group exhibitions are also listed separately and arranged chronologically within each separate list. When a work that appeared in an exhibition was reproduced in the exhibition catalogue, the citation for that work is given under Exhibitions rather than References. (If a work was illustrated in the exhibition catalogue but not shown in the exhibition, it is cited in the References section.) In citations of exhibition catalogues, the information is given in the following order: venue (museum, gallery, library, etc.), city, year, catalogue number, and where in the catalogue the work is illustrated.
 
For example:
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1969, cat. no. 253, illus. p. 231.
If a work was included in an exhibition of works from the permanent collection at the institution that owns it, we do not include such a presentation of the work among the Exhibitions. But if the work was included in a monographic or thematic loan exhibition at the institution that owns it, or in a show of recent acquisitions, that exhibition is included here.
A traveling exhibition (one that was first shown at the organizing museum and then traveled to other institutions) is designated as such in italics set within parentheses, directly following the year: (traveling).
 
For example:
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, 1983 (traveling), cat. no. 58, color illus. p. 49; not shown in Los Angeles and Seattle.
A circulating exhibition is one that was organized by an institution but not shown first at that institution, and in most cases not shown at all at the organizing institution. An exhibition that is categorized as “circulating” is listed under the organizing institution rather than the first venue on the exhibition’s itinerary; it is described within parentheses as “(circulating)” rather than “(traveling).” If a traveling or circulating exhibition had different catalogues (or checklists) at different venues, the catalogue numbers for those exhibitions are listed in the catalogue entry by the venue’s city.
 
For example:
Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1967 (circulating), Buenos Aires, cat. no. 6; Caracas, cat. no. 61; Bogotá, cat. no. 61; Mexico City, cat. no. 6.
When the same institution originates two or more exhibitions in the same year, the year is preceded by the month the exhibition started, as a way of differentiating between the two exhibitions.
When the same institution originates two or more exhibitions in the same month of the same year, the title of the exhibition is included along with the month and the year.
 
For example:
Museum of Modern Art, New York, Robert Motherwell, September 1965 (traveling).
Museum of Modern Art, New York, Robert Motherwell: Works on Paper, September 1965 (circulating).
If an exhibition did not have a proper catalogue, but only a checklist or a brochure, the expression “cat. no.” is nonetheless used to designate the numbers given in the exhibition checklist or other ephemera (our source for the “cat. no.” is described in the List of Exhibitions).
Errors or discrepancies in titles are noted as erroneous when relevant. If a work was shown under an alternative title, this is noted in Exhibitions, and foreign titles are also noted and translated.
REFERENCES
The References are listed in an abbreviated form, by author and year, and are arranged chronologically and alphabetically within each year. The abbreviated form corresponds to the author and year listed in the full citation located in the Bibliography (see volume 1), which is also organized chronologically and alphabetically within each year by the author and year. Each citation in the References includes the page numbers on which the work is discussed, illustrated, or both.
When an author is cited in two or more references within a given year, the citations are differentiated with the letters a, b, c, and so forth; these do not indicate order of importance, but rather how the citations are alphabetized in the Bibliography.
When Motherwell is quoted discussing a work in a published source, this is indicated by an abbreviated form that contains Motherwell’s name and the source and year. The full citations for such references are located in “Writings by the Artist,” in the Bibliography.
When a work is reproduced only as a comparative figure in an exhibition catalogue, or when it is listed in the catalogue but did not appear in the exhibition, the citation is given under References rather than in Exhibitions. (In citations to exhibition catalogues, only works that were exhibited are listed under Exhibitions.) But in such a case, the full citation to the exhibition catalogue will be found in the List of Exhibitions rather than in the Bibliography.
The abbreviated form for an exhibition catalogue in the References gives the venue, exh. cat., and year, not separated by commas.
Errors or discrepancies in titles are cited in the references when relevant, and alternative titles and foreign languages are also noted.
Auction catalogues are cited under Provenance rather than under Exhibitions or References.
COMMENTS
The Comments on the individual works are not interpretive in the broad sense but are meant to clarify fairly specific issues. These include the following: variations in titles and dates; revisions and reworkings; information about early states; the sources and significance of titles, including literary allusions and references; statements by Motherwell about the work; any special circumstances (such as a commission) surrounding the work’s inception or installation; the sources of collage elements; and conservation or condition issues.
For series of works done around the same time, the main body of information about the series is generally given in the Comments for the first work (or the first numbered work) in the series.
If a work is illustrated with a reproduction that is not of normal quality and format, the source of the reproduction is mentioned in the Comments (that it is from a Polaroid or black-and-white photograph, for example, or from an auction catalogue or a color slide).
Photographs have provided important information about the revision and dating of works. Unless stated otherwise, studio photographs are from the Dedalus Foundation Archives. For photographs taken by professional photographers, we cite the photographer’s archive numbers whenever possible. Motherwell gave his own inventory numbers to his prints of the photographs taken by Peter A. Juley & Son, which we cite; the Smithsonian American Art Museum has subsequently posted the Juley photographs on its web site, using Juley’s negative numbers. So for Juley photographs we give both Motherwell’s archive number for the print (which sometimes had crucial information written on the verso) and the Smithsonian American Art Museum number, which always starts with “J000.” (In a few instances, there was no Motherwell archive number or no Smithsonian American Art Museum negative number; in those cases only a single number is given.)
When we describe a photograph as “early,” we mean that it was taken early in the work’s history—that is, at a time close to the creation of the work, or of a state of the work.
Key to the Catalogue Entries
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