“Ferragosto IV,” created by Cy Twombly in 1961, is a distinguished work within the Abstract Expressionism movement. This artwork, a part of the Ferragosto series, is characterized by its abstract genre.
The artwork features a chaotic and vibrant composition of scrawls, scratches, and spontaneous brush strokes. Swirls of color, primarily reds, blacks, and earth tones, dynamically interlace across the canvas, perhaps evoking emotional intensity and raw expression. The piece is marked by its seemingly unrestrained execution, with layers of scribbles and smears contributing to a feeling of frenetic energy and complexity. The almost childlike exploratory marks juxtaposed against more assertive brushwork reveal a sense of spontaneity and freedom, hallmarks of Cy Twombly’s abstract expressionist style.