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205:(1951). After this series of all-white canvases, Rauschenberg set out to discover whether an artwork could be produced entirely through erasure. He started by erasing his own drawings, but felt that the result was lacking, so he sought out a drawing by an established artist—clearly already a work of art—that he could erase.
225:, while others called the erasure an act of vandalism. De Kooning, however, gave Rauschenberg the drawing with full knowledge of the artist's intent. Without de Kooning's consent, this action could be more readily seen as vandalism. It was purchased by the SFMOMA in 1998 using a gift from Phyllis Wattis.
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in
Greenwich Village. Rauschenberg decided to approach William De Kooning and ask him for a drawing which he could erase. Rauschenberg was prepared for De Kooning to refuse the request, which would have made the work a performance piece. After Rauschenberg explained the concept for the piece,
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He approached de
Kooning, an artist he admired and who was at the height of his career, and asked for a drawing that he could erase to create a new work of art. De Kooning gave Rauschenberg a densely worked drawing that would be difficult for the younger artist to remove. Rauschenberg worked on the
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No photographs exist of the de
Kooning work before its erasure, but in 2010 digital images were made by SFMOMA, as a part of the Rauschenberg Research Project, that enhanced the remaining traces of the underlying drawing. De Kooning's original drawing features several figures facing in different
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De
Kooning decided to grant his request and provided him with a drawing that De Kooning would "miss". In later years, Rauschenberg would continue to make pieces that explored his relationship to the Abstract Expressionist, action painting and De Kooning himself. His piece
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drawing for over a month using a variety of different erasers. The gilded frame and inscription by Jasper Johns have always been important parts of the work and were explicitly noted in 1976 to remain with the drawing in all exhibitions of the piece.
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246:, which involved applying ink to the bottom of tires and driving along a 21 foot piece of paper, is typically seen as an homage to De Kooning and his love of brush work and driving. Rauschenberg's pieces
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and monogramming found on
Renaissance drawings and prints. The caption reads: "Erased de Kooning Drawing, Robert Rauschenberg, 1953" (see picture). It has been in the collection of the
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directions, including at least one female, probably made with pencil and charcoal. Some marks may have been erased by de
Kooning himself as part of the initial creation of the work.
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The work, including its frame, measures 25.25 by 21.75 by 0.5 inches (64.1 cm Ă— 55.2 cm Ă— 1.3 cm). Some critics recognized the conceptual drive within
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168:(SFMOMA) since 1998. SFMOMA describes the work as a "drawing traces of drawing media on paper with a label and gilded frame."
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This could be read as
Rauschenberg calling into question the authenticity of the Abstract Expressionists and their work.
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338:"Robert Rauschenberg with Willem de Kooning and Jasper Johns. Erased de Kooning Drawing. 1953 | MoMA"
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later framed it in a gilded frame and added a written caption to mimic the framing style of the
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386:"Digitally enhanced infrared scan of Robert Rauschenberg's Erased de Kooning Drawing"
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Despite partaking in two different art movements, Rauschenberg had known many of the
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explore the expressive mark making typically used by De
Kooning and his colleagues.
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Robert
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Traces of drawing media on paper with label and gilded frame
444:"Running on Empty: Willem de Kooning in the Late 1950s"
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Relationship to De
Kooning and abstract expressionism
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314:"Why Robert Rauschenberg Erased a De Kooning"
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144:(1953) is an early work of American artist
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69:Learn how and when to remove this message
16:Conceptual artwork by Robert Rauschenberg
32:This article includes a list of general
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535:, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
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128:San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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681:Experiments in Art and Technology
987:Foundation for Contemporary Arts
570:, Tate Gallery, 1 September 2006
556:Robert Rauschenberg: Man at Work
237:from his frequent visits to the
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416:"Robert Rauschenberg: Portrait"
841:de Kooning: An American Master
488:Zurier, Rebecca (March 2009).
292:Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
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1034:Works by Robert Rauschenberg
312:Cain, Abigail (2017-07-14).
184:The American Action Painters
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993:Erased de Kooning Drawing
856:Willem de Kooning Academy
849:Erased de Kooning Drawing
626:Erased de Kooning Drawing
532:Erased de Kooning Drawing
362:"Essays Archive · SFMOMA"
223:Erased de Kooning Drawing
173:Erased de Kooning Drawing
141:Erased de Kooning Drawing
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84:Erased de Kooning Drawing
835:Elaine de Kooning (wife)
658:Blood Orange Summer Glut
543:(1999 interview excerpt)
414:Granlund, Chris (1997).
342:The Museum of Modern Art
809:Seated Woman on a Bench
442:John J. Curley (2010).
288:"White Painting (1951)"
235:Abstract Expressionists
53:more precise citations.
150:abstract expressionist
244:Automobile Tire Print
568:A genteel iconoclasm
152:and American artist
611:Robert Rauschenberg
448:Modernism/Modernity
146:Robert Rauschenberg
102:Robert Rauschenberg
460:10.1353/mod.0.0186
180:conceptual artwork
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1004:(1977 book)
967:(1976 book)
929:Three Flags
790:Woman-Ochre
774:Interchange
692:Moon Museum
637:(1955-1959)
260:mixed media
177:Neo-Dadaist
51:introducing
1024:1953 works
1018:Categories
956:Other work
921:White Flag
817:Clamdigger
801:Sculptures
425:2021-07-20
395:2021-04-26
371:2021-04-12
347:2021-04-12
323:2021-04-12
298:2021-04-12
274:References
200:monochrome
34:references
916:(1954-55)
905:Paintings
758:Woman III
742:Paintings
650:Reservoir
514:1073-9300
490:"Facture"
468:1080-6601
420:Medici TV
268:Factum I.
264:Factum II
252:Factum II
766:Woman VI
634:Monogram
256:Factum I
248:Factum I
124:Location
982:Pop art
975:Related
828:Related
750:Woman I
669:Related
563:YouTube
548:YouTube
194:History
47:improve
996:(1953)
948:(2020)
940:(1961)
932:(1958)
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36:, but
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618:Works
318:Artsy
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