Robert Motherwell (1915-1991), alongside Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning, made up the quartet of American abstract painters that radically defined Modern painting and established New York City as the center of the art world for the second half of the 20th century.

Motherwell was the unofficial spokesman of the New York School, writing and lecturing prolifically on behalf of the movement, his fellow artists, and the merits of abstraction.

His work appears in museum collections around the world and is instantly recognizable for its boldness and black forms. Yet in addition to his impressive paintings, Motherwell is also revered as a printmaker. He is one of the most innovative and prolific printmakers of the 20th century. He was always searching for new techniques, whether at his own printmaking atelier, or collaborating with others, to expand his ideas and express his aesthetic.

"The Persian II" was created in 1985 at Tyler Graphics, one of Motherwell's most frequent collaborators.

This bold aquatint is classic Motherwell; an imposing black form that resembles a thick brushstroke, or spilled ink or even tar, is set against a dense field of rust. These strong colors are contrasted with a gentle but saturated periwinkle blue.

Beyond the strength of the palette are the intriguing forms and shapes. When joined together, tension between the two conflicting elements offers an unexpected sense of balance and symmetry to the otherwise spontaneous composition.

Condition--Very good