The artwork titled “Bay of Naples” is a creation of artist Cy Twombly, completed in 1961. This piece is an embodiment of the abstract genre, rendered in oil, crayon, and pencil on canvas. It belongs to the Neo-Expressionist art movement and measures 241.8 x 298.6 cm. The artwork’s creation took place in Italy and it is currently held at the Dia Center for the Arts in New York and the Menil Collection in Houston.
The artwork is a complex assembly of scribbles, smears, and gestural marks that invoke a sense of dynamic motion across the canvas. Cy Twombly’s use of color and line is spontaneous and appears almost childlike in its directness and simplicity. The expanse of the canvas is predominantly occupied by a light, almost ethereal background, upon which the vibrant and variously colored markings command attention. Despite the abstract nature of the work, the title suggests an allusion to the rich and bustling atmosphere of the Bay of Naples, perhaps captured in the energy and chaos of the composition. The layers of media give the piece a tactile quality, inviting the viewer to visually explore the depth and details of each mark and stroke made by the artist. This sensory invocation is typical of Twombly’s style, which often communicates through the visual texture and the physicality of his materials.
