Untitled (Elegy Study) c. 1977

This drawing by Robert Motherwell presents bold, gestural forms in black ink on a pale ground, a study, as it were, in the visual language of mourning. The ovoid shapes and vertical lines, repeated and varied, evoke a sense of solemn rhythm, like the tolling of bells. These stark, contrasting shapes can be seen as a modern echo of ancient symbols of life and death. The egg, a universal symbol of potential and birth, is here juxtaposed with harsh, broken lines, creating a visual tension that speaks to the fragility of existence. Think of the ubiquitous image of the skull, or the hourglass, symbols of mortality, appearing in Dutch Vanitas paintings, to remind viewers of their impending fate. Motherwell taps into our collective memory, stirring deep-seated emotions through abstract forms. This visual vocabulary transcends cultural boundaries, resonating with the universal human experience of loss, a poignant expression of grief rendered in a language of primal forms. The symbolic, cyclical progression of loss and grief continues to resurface and evolve, taking on new meanings across historical contexts.