Robert Rauschenberg Untitled Lithograph Signed 1982 Edition of 75 from the Portfolio to Commemorate Anthology Film Archives

Artist: Robert Rauschenberg
Title: Untitled, from A Portfolio of Thirteen Prints to Commemorate Anthology Film Archives
Medium: Offset Lithograph in Colors on Wove Paper
Edition: AP 13/13 + Standard edition of 75
Size: 19" x 21 1/2" in
Year: 1982
Publisher: Anthology Film Archives, New York
Printer: Styria Studio, Inc., New York
Inscription: Signed, dated, and numbered in pencil
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

Robert Rauschenberg's contribution to "A Portfolio of Thirteen Prints to Commemorate Anthology Film Archives" reflects the artist's sustained engagement with photographic imagery, layering, and the visual language of contemporary culture. Produced in 1982, the print belongs to a body of graphic work in which Rauschenberg adapted the collage sensibility of his earlier Combines into the technically sophisticated medium of printmaking. His compositions from this period often juxtapose disparate images—figures, architectural structures, mechanical elements, and abstract passages—into complex visual fields that resist singular narrative interpretation.

In this work, fragments of photographic and graphic material interlock across the surface, creating a shifting interplay between figuration and abstraction. Areas of dense imagery contrast with open passages, while changes in scale and orientation generate a sense of movement and temporal layering. Rauschenberg's approach reflects his broader interest in communication and perception, as well as his belief that art could function as a site where diverse aspects of lived experience converge.

Offset lithography enabled the artist to incorporate photographic sources with clarity while preserving subtle tonal variation and chromatic nuance. The process also aligned with his long-standing commitment to collaboration with master printers, expanding the technical and conceptual possibilities of print media.

This work is an offset lithograph in colors on wove paper, measuring 19 × 21 1/2 inches. It is from the artist's proof edition 13/13, aside from the standard edition of 75, and is signed, dated, and numbered in pencil. The print was published by Anthology Film Archives, New York, and printed by Styria Studio, Inc., New York. It is accompanied by a Gallery Certificate of Authenticity.

About Robert Rauschenberg

Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008) was an American artist whose work played a pivotal role in the transition from Abstract Expressionism to later movements including Pop Art, Conceptual Art, and Neo-Dada. Recognized for his innovative use of everyday materials and his expansion of what could be considered art, Rauschenberg developed a multidisciplinary practice that encompassed painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, performance, and collaborative projects.

Born Milton Ernest Rauschenberg in Port Arthur, Texas, he studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Académie Julian in Paris before enrolling at Black Mountain College in North Carolina. There he encountered influential figures such as Josef Albers, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham, whose experimental approaches to art, music, and performance shaped his interdisciplinary outlook. By the early 1950s, Rauschenberg had begun challenging traditional distinctions between art and life.

He gained prominence with his "Combines" of the mid-1950s, hybrid works that integrated painting with found objects such as textiles, photographs, newspaper clippings, and everyday items. These pieces blurred boundaries between media and introduced a new visual language rooted in contemporary culture. His practice emphasized chance, layering, and the incorporation of real-world imagery, anticipating many concerns of Pop Art while maintaining ties to gestural abstraction.

Printmaking was central to Rauschenberg's career. He collaborated with master printers and workshops to push technical boundaries, incorporating photographic transfer, screenprinting, and mixed-media processes. His prints often juxtapose disparate images drawn from mass media, science, politics, and art history, reflecting an expansive view of visual culture.

Rauschenberg's work frequently addressed themes of communication, global exchange, and social engagement. In the 1960s and beyond, he participated in performance collaborations with dancers and composers and later initiated the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI), a project promoting international artistic dialogue.

His work is held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Tate, and the Centre Pompidou. Robert Rauschenberg remains a central figure in twentieth-century art history, noted for redefining artistic media and expanding the conceptual scope of contemporary art.