Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part III 1963

Curator: So striking, isn't it? This is "Nine Discourses on Commodus, Part III," crafted in 1963 using oil and ink on canvas by Cy Twombly. What are your first impressions? Editor: Visceral. The stark contrast of the blood red against the cold gray ground creates a feeling of both violence and vulnerability. The energetic gesture marks feel raw and uncontrolled. Curator: The choice of Commodus, a Roman emperor notorious for decadence and eventual assassination, as subject matter hints at a deeper contemplation of power, excess, and the inherent fragility of leadership throughout history. Twombly often grappled with themes of classical antiquity, inviting us to reconsider the present through the lens of the past. Editor: Looking at the composition, that almost architecturally precise horizontal line dividing the canvas seems to ironically restrain the chaotic energy concentrated in the center. Is it a failed attempt at imposing order, or does that form contribute to our reading? Curator: The grid is interesting, particularly when juxtaposed with such dynamic lines. I'm wondering if it also underscores a psychological fragmentation. The scrawls, smudges, and what appear to be smeared fingerprints can evoke anxiety, recalling, in my view, Abstract Expressionism and the struggle for authentic expression post-war. It reflects the internal struggles and traumas, mirrored here on this canvas, speaking to both individual and collective cultural memory. Editor: From a formal standpoint, there's also a very deliberate play with negative space. The vast, pale areas force us to focus intensely on the concentrated cluster of activity, amplifying its intensity. And these drips...they act almost as a release valve, letting some of that tension escape down the canvas. Curator: The deliberate marks, suggestive of hurried notations or violent acts, really highlight the duality of destruction and creation that is characteristic of the Commodus series. What a powerful meditation on time, violence, and enduring legacies! Editor: Ultimately, the way Twombly manipulated the paint to convey an almost emotional urgency is really thought-provoking.