Natural History Part I: Mushrooms (1974) and Part II: Some Trees of Italy (1975/76) are two seminal series by Cy Twombly that offer a profound exploration of natural forms through his distinctive artistic lens. These works exemplify Twombly’s innovative fusion of artistic expression with the themes of botanical science and natural history.

Artistic and Historical Context

Twombly’s portfolios draw inspiration from Pliny the Elder's Natural History (Naturalis Historia), an ancient Roman text published between 77-79 AD. This encyclopedic work was a monumental attempt to catalog the natural world, reflecting humanity's enduring drive to understand and classify nature. Twombly’s series resonates with this historical pursuit, using art to delve into similar themes of categorization and the essence of natural forms.

Natural History Part I: Mushrooms (1974) comprises ten prints that employ a variety of mixed media techniques including lithographs, grano-lithographs, collotype on Fabriano paper, and photochrome with collage. Through the motif of mushrooms, Twombly explores themes of organic growth, transformation, and decay. The prints combine meticulous botanical illustrations with abstract, gestural marks, creating a dialogue between scientific precision and artistic abstraction.

Natural History Part II: Some Trees of Italy (1975/76) features eight prints that extend Twombly’s inquiry into the natural world, focusing on trees. This series continues the exploration of nature’s cycles and the passage of time. The use of similar mixed media techniques allows for a nuanced depiction of trees, blending traditional botanical detail with Twombly’s distinctive, expressive gestures.

Techniques and Themes

Using mushrooms and trees as motifs respectively throughout, both series feature contrasting collaged material with Twombly’s signature, expressive hand. Employing a mixed media technique, each print varies in its use of lithographs and grano-lithographs, collotype on Fabriano paper, semi-transparent tracing paper, photochrome with collage, and Twombly’s own drawing.

Twombly’s mixed media approach enables a complex interaction between structured scientific imagery and free-form artistic expression. By integrating botanical prints with his intuitive marks, Twombly creates a rich visual dialogue that reflects both empirical observation and artistic interpretation. The portfolios not only showcase Twombly’s skillful use of media but also his deep engagement with the thematic elements of nature and human understanding.

Catalogue Details:

Natural History Part I: Mushrooms, 1974 is a portfolio of ten prints using elements of mixed media, lithograph, grano- lithograph, collotype, photochrome, collage, and drawing on Rives Couronne paper. Each sheet is  29.9 x 22.2 in. from an edition of 98 + 17 AP + 1 PP + 1 SP. The artworks are all initialed by Cy Twombly.

Natural History Part II: Some Trees of Italy, 1975/76  is a portfolio of 8 prints using elements of lithograph, grano- lithograph, and collotype on Fabriano paper. The sheets are 29.9 x 22.2 in and come from an initialed edition of  98 + 17 AP + 1 PP + 1 SP.