Coronation of Sesostris by Cy Twombly
Coronation of Sesostris
Cy Twombly’s Ritual of Marks: The Enigma of Coronation of Sesostris
Few works in Twombly’s oeuvre distill his signature fusion of myth and gesture as powerfully as Coronation of Sesostris. The title itself invokes Sesostris, the legendary pharaoh of Egyptian lore—a figure whose exploits blurred into myth by the time Herodotus chronicled them. Yet Twombly’s canvas offers no literal crown, no throne. Instead, it presents a field of rhythmic scrawls and smudges, where the act of marking becomes the coronation. The work belongs to the artist’s late period, when his lines grew bolder and his references more layered, collapsing ancient history into the immediacy of the hand’s movement.
The composition’s raw physicality—its loops, drags, and erasures—echoes the cyclical nature of power. As the Museum of Modern Art notes in its analysis of Twombly’s later works, his marks often function as “traces of an absent narrative,” where the viewer’s interpretation completes the story. Here, the absence of figurative elements forces a confrontation with the materiality of paint and the weight of history. The white ground, stained with gray and black, evokes both parchment and weathered stone, suggesting a relic that has endured centuries of handling.
The Late Works: When Gesture Becomes Monument
By the 1990s and early 2000s, Twombly had refined his practice into a dialogue between the monumental and the intimate. Coronation of Sesostris emerges from this period, where his canvases often referenced classical antiquity—not through illustration, but through the physical act of marking. The artist’s relocation to Gaeta, Italy, in 1957 had immersed him in Mediterranean light and mythology, yet his late works transcend mere regional influence. Instead, they embody what Tate Modern curators describe as a “palimpsest of cultural memory,” where each layer of paint and pencil carries the weight of prior civilizations.
Twombly’s process for this series involved working on the floor, allowing gravity to pull the medium across the surface. The resulting drips and smears in Coronation are not accidents but deliberate records of the body’s engagement with the canvas. Unlike his earlier, more frenetic works—such as the Ferragosto series—the composition here feels measured, almost ceremonial. The loops recall both ancient hieroglyphic scripts and the automatic writing of Surrealism, yet they resist decipherment. This tension between legibility and abstraction lies at the heart of Twombly’s late-period power.
Twombly’s Coronation does not depict a coronation—it enacts one. The loops and drags of his crayon become the ritual gestures of an unseen ceremony, where the artist’s hand stands in for the missing priests and kings.
The Alchemy of Surface: How Twombly Built Coronation
Layering and Erasure
The work’s surface is a stratigraphy of actions. Twombly began with a white ground, over which he applied wax crayon in looping, repetitive motions. Black and gray oil stick were then dragged across the surface, partially obscuring the initial marks. Crucially, he employed erasure as a compositional tool—smudging sections to create a veil-like effect. This technique, which he refined in the 1980s, allows the underlying layers to ghost through, suggesting the passage of time.
The Rhythm of Repetition
The looping motifs in Coronation adhere to a strict internal logic. Unlike the chaotic scribbles of his earlier works, these marks follow a grid-like armature, their regularity interrupted only by occasional drips or smudges. The repetition evokes both the cyclical nature of royal succession and the meditative practice of automatic drawing. Twombly’s hand, though deliberate, retains a human tremor—each loop slightly irregular, each line bearing the pressure of its making.
Own This Ritual of Marks
Gallery-framed and ready to hang, with free worldwide shipping and 5–10 day delivery. Each print captures the texture and depth of Twombly’s original gestures.
Add to Cart — $24999Where to Hang Coronation of Sesostris: A Curator’s Guide
The print’s restrained palette and dynamic marks make it surprisingly versatile. In a modernist interior, its gray-and-white tones complement concrete floors and steel accents, while the looping gestures soften the space’s severity. For a more traditional setting, consider hanging it against deep blues or terracotta—colors that echo Mediterranean antiquity without competing with the work’s subtlety. At 30×40 cm, it commands attention as a solo piece above a console or writing desk, yet its linear rhythm also allows it to harmonize in a salon-style arrangement with other abstract works. Avoid overly bright walls; the nuances of Twombly’s erasures reward a muted backdrop.
Is the frame included? What is the quality?
Every print arrives with a gallery-quality frame included—no additional assembly required. The framing uses acid-free mats and UV-protective glazing to preserve the artwork’s integrity for decades.
Where do you ship, and how long does delivery take?
We offer free shipping worldwide, with no minimum order. Delivery typically takes 5–10 business days, regardless of destination, via tracked courier.
How archival is the print? Will the colors fade?
The print uses pigment-based inks on pH-neutral paper, rated for 100+ years without fading under normal lighting. The UV-protective glazing in the frame provides additional defense against discoloration.
What is your return policy?
You may return the print within 30 days of delivery for a full refund, no questions asked. We cover return shipping costs and provide a prepaid label for convenience.
Sources & Further Reading
- Museum of Modern Art. "Cy Twombly: Cycles and Seasons." moma.org
- Tate Modern. "Cy Twombly: Making and Unmaking." tate.org.uk
- The Art Story. "Cy Twombly: Late Works and Legacy." theartstory.org
More Works by Cy Twombly
Explore Twombly’s evolving dialogue with myth and gesture across four decades of printmaking.
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Add to Cart — $24999