The artwork titled “The Four Seasons: Summer” was created by Cy Twombly between 1993 and 1994. It is a piece from the “Quattro Stagioni” series and encompasses the use of synthetic polymer paint, oil, pencil, and crayon on canvas. Embodying the principles of Abstract Expressionism, the work measures 314.5 x 201 cm. The genre is abstract and the piece is currently housed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork exudes a vibrant, dynamic energy, evocative of the summer season it represents. It features an expanse of warm, bright yellow tones, suggesting the radiant heat and the unrelenting sun of summer. The vertical drips and lines of paint create a sense of movement, almost as if one is witnessing the sun’s rays beaming down and melting onto the canvas. This intense warmth is contrasted by splashes of red, perhaps hinting at the summer’s passionate storms or the ripe fruits of the season. Amidst the prominence of color, faint, gestural scribbles can be discerned—these add an element of spontaneity and free association, typical of Twombly’s work. The overall composition defies traditional representation and instead invites a sensory and emotional response akin to the season it encapsulates.
