Robert Rauschenberg artworks and editions

Robert Rauschenberg was an American painter, graphic artist, object artist and photographer. Born in Texas in 1925, the artist is considered a pioneer of Pop Art and was a representative of Abstract Expressionism in America.

Rauschenberg studied at the Kansas City Art Institute, the Académie Julian in Paris, and eventually at Black Mountain College. Instead of adhering to the color theory of his teacher Josef Albers, the young Rauschenberg rebelled against the view of painting at the time and began cutting black squares out of wood, or painting monochrome pictures with black or white paint. Rauschenberg's erased graphic drawing of artist Willem de Kooning from 1953 is considered an icon of the paradigm shift in 1950s art toward Pop Art.

Rauschenberg's artworks and editions form a link between Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism. They can be considered crucial for the return to representational art in the United States. Characteristic for the artist are his so-called "Combine Paintings". These are neo-Dadaist collages in which the artist combines abstract, expressionist and Pop Art elements and integrates everyday products on the canvas, such as postcards, tennis balls or electronic devices. Through this combination with objects, the artist not only expands three-dimensional space, he also erases the boundary between painting and sculpture.

Robert Rauschenberg's works are characterized by his constant striving to unite art and life. Among the recurring themes of his work are communication and questions of perception, which he explored with a wide variety of materials and techniques. Although Rauschenberg's work is difficult to pin down to one style, the artist is considered a pioneer of Pop Art and is one of the most important American artists of the 20th century.