Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 75 works by Robert Motherwell in our catalogue
In short
Iberia (1958) is the Robert Motherwell painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao. After it, the eye goes to Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110 (1971) and Mallarme's Swan (1944). Among the 75 works of Robert Motherwell in our catalog, these 48 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
Robert Motherwell's "Iberia," painted in 1958, isn’t merely a depiction of a landscape; it’s a visceral embodiment of sorrow, memory, and the enduring weight of history. Born from a pivotal journey to Spain during a period of profound political turmoil – the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and the rise of Franco's dictatorship – the painting transcends simple representation, becoming instead a deeply personal meditation on loss and resilience.…
Robert Motherwell's “Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110,” painted in 1971, isn’t merely a visual experience; it’s an immersion into grief, memory, and the enduring weight of political trauma. This monumental work, rendered in stark black acrylic on canvas, transcends simple representation, becoming instead a potent symbol of loss and resilience—a testament to the artist's profound engagement with the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath. More than just a…
Robert Motherwell’s “Mallarme's Swan,” painted in 1944, isn’t merely a visual composition; it’s an embodiment of profound emotion rendered through the deliberate chaos of Abstract Expressionism. This large-scale work, currently residing within the esteemed collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into the artist’s deeply personal engagement with literature and his exploration of themes surrounding loss, memory, and the ephemeral nature of existence. The painting immediately commands…
In Black and White No. - (2) is an abstract composition created by the artist Robert Motherwell. Born in Aberdeen, United States, in 1915, Motherwell developed a visual language centered on the interaction of form and void. This specific work utilizes a restricted palette of black and white to establish its presence on the canvas. The artist's approach focuses on the physical application of pigment to create a non-representational image.
Robert Motherwell’s “The Golden Fleece”: A Meditation on Loss and Resilience Robert Motherwell's "The Golden Fleece," completed in 1961, stands as a cornerstone of American Abstract Expressionism—a movement defined by its rejection of representational art and embrace of spontaneous gesture and emotion. More than just a depiction of mythic narrative, the painting embodies a profound exploration of grief, memory, and ultimately, the enduring human spirit. Its monumental scale (68 x…
To stand before Robert Motherwell’s Blue Elegy is to enter a space of profound, quiet contemplation. This abstract masterpiece does not shout its emotions; rather, it whispers them across the canvas in shades of deep blue and luminous gold. The work immediately envelops the viewer in an atmosphere steeped in melancholy, inviting a moment of pause from the clamor of the everyday world. Motherwell, a titan of American Abstract Expressionism,…
Robert Motherwell's “Open No. 122 in Scarlet and Blue,” painted in 1969, isn’t merely a visual composition; it’s an intensely felt expression of loss and remembrance. Created during a period of profound personal grief following the deaths of close friends and family members, this work embodies Motherwell's signature approach to Abstract Expressionism – a deliberate rejection of representational imagery in favor of conveying raw emotion through color, texture, and gestural…
The Homely Protestant1948
12
The Mexican Sketchbook1941
13
Pancho Villa, Dead and Alive1943
14
Collage No. 21945
15
Ulysses1947
16
Figure in Black (Girl with Stripes)1947
17
La Danse II1952
18
The Figure 4 on an Elegy1960
19
Monster (for Charles Ives)1959
20
From the Lyric Suite1965
21
Beside the Sea No. 641963
22
The Scarlet Ring1963
23
Beside the Sea No. 451967 · Musée Des Beaux
24
Open No. 19: In Cerulean Blue with Charcoal Line1968
25
Open No. 37: In Orange with Charcoal Line1968
26
Preparatory drawing from In Memory of My Feelings1967
27
Open No. 35: In Raw Umber on Sized Canvas1968
28
In Plato's Cave No. 11972
29
Medusa 71977
30
Medusa 41977
31
Elegy to the Spanish Republic 1321975
32
Spanish Wall 11979
33
Yellow Music1984
34
Scottish Ballad1990
35
Composition1950 · MAM Rio
36
The Voyage: Ten Years After1961 · Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
37
Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 701961
38
Reconciliation Elegy1978
39
Untitled from Madrid Suite
40
New england elegy
41
Open number - (17)
42
Western air
43
Elegy to the Spanish Republic, - (108)
44
Elegy to the Spanish Republic, - (54)
45
Untitled
46
The little spanish prison
47
Personage, with Yellow Ochre and White
48
Open Number 24 in Variations of Orange
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Robert Motherwell | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Guggenheim Museum Bilbao |
Bilbao | 2 | Iberia, The Voyage: Ten Years After |
 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum |
New York | 1 | Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110 |
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 1 | Mallarme's Swan |
 Chrysler Museum of Art |
Norfolk | 1 | The Golden Fleece |
 National Gallery of Australia |
Canberra | 1 | Blue Elegy |
 Tate Modern |
London | 1 | Open No. 122 in Scarlet and Blue |
 Musée Des Beaux |
Québec City | 1 | Beside the Sea No. 45 |
 MAM Rio |
Rio de Janeiro | 1 | Composition |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Robert Motherwell’s “Mallarme's Swan,” painted in 1944, isn’t merely a visual composition; it’s an embodiment of profound emotion rendered through the deliberate chaos of Abstract Expressionism. This large-scale work, currently residing within the esteemed collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into the artist’s deeply personal engagement with literature and his exploration of themes surrounding loss, memory, and the ephemeral nature of existence. The painting immediately commands…
Robert Motherwell's "Iberia," painted in 1958, isn’t merely a depiction of a landscape; it’s a visceral embodiment of sorrow, memory, and the enduring weight of history. Born from a pivotal journey to Spain during a period of profound political turmoil – the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and the rise of Franco's dictatorship – the painting transcends simple representation, becoming instead a deeply personal meditation on loss and resilience.…
Robert Motherwell's “Open No. 122 in Scarlet and Blue,” painted in 1969, isn’t merely a visual composition; it’s an intensely felt expression of loss and remembrance. Created during a period of profound personal grief following the deaths of close friends and family members, this work embodies Motherwell's signature approach to Abstract Expressionism – a deliberate rejection of representational imagery in favor of conveying raw emotion through color, texture, and gestural…
Robert Motherwell's “Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110,” painted in 1971, isn’t merely a visual experience; it’s an immersion into grief, memory, and the enduring weight of political trauma. This monumental work, rendered in stark black acrylic on canvas, transcends simple representation, becoming instead a potent symbol of loss and resilience—a testament to the artist's profound engagement with the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath. More than just a…
To stand before Robert Motherwell’s Blue Elegy is to enter a space of profound, quiet contemplation. This abstract masterpiece does not shout its emotions; rather, it whispers them across the canvas in shades of deep blue and luminous gold. The work immediately envelops the viewer in an atmosphere steeped in melancholy, inviting a moment of pause from the clamor of the everyday world. Motherwell, a titan of American Abstract Expressionism,…
Iberia (1958), Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao. Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110 (1971) and Mallarme's Swan (1944) come next.
43 years old: Iberia dates from 1958, and Robert Motherwell was born in 1915.
Iberia, Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110, Mallarme's Swan, In Black and White No. - (2), Wall Painting III, The Golden Fleece, Personnage, Study for 'Reconciliation Elegy', Blue Elegy and Open No. 122 in Scarlet and Blue. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 75 works by Robert Motherwell, dated from 1941 to 1990.
Mostly in Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (Bilbao), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York) and Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1960s: 12 of the 48 works on this page were made then, Open No. 122 in Scarlet and Blue among them.
On this page, the earliest is The Mexican Sketchbook (1941) and the latest Scottish Ballad (1990).
Grief (4), Black and white (3) and Figures (3), across the 48 works on this page.
Acrylic On Canvas, for 5 of the 48 works on this page.
Abstract expressionism, judging by the originals on this page.
Iberia and The Voyage: Ten Years After: the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao holds 2 of the works on this page.
