ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Robert Motherwell's 1943 mixed media work 'Figure with Blots' documented in artcritical archive

publication · 2026-04-22

In 1943, Robert Motherwell produced the mixed media piece 'Figure with Blots,' utilizing oil, ink, crayon, and both pasted and Japanese paper on paperboard. This artwork belongs to Toronto collectors David and Audrey Mirvish. The Dedalus Foundation, Inc. holds the copyright, with licensing managed through VAGA in New York, NY. On January 21, 2014, at 8:36 PM, Artcritical released documentation regarding this piece, which showcases Motherwell's initial forays into abstract expressionism during the 1940s. A key figure in the New York School of abstract expressionism, Motherwell's artistic legacy and copyrights are overseen by the Dedalus Foundation, while VAGA is responsible for licensing reproduction rights.

Key facts

  • Robert Motherwell created 'Figure with Blots' in 1943
  • The artwork uses oil, ink, crayon, and pasted paper and Japanese paper on paperboard
  • David and Audrey Mirvish of Toronto own the piece
  • Copyright is held by Dedalus Foundation, Inc.
  • VAGA in New York, NY licenses the artwork
  • Artcritical documented the work on January 21, 2014
  • The publication time was 8:36 PM
  • Motherwell was a key abstract expressionist artist

Entities

Artists

  • Robert Motherwell

Institutions

  • Dedalus Foundation, Inc.
  • VAGA
  • artcritical

Locations

  • Toronto
  • Canada
  • New York
  • New York, NY
  • United States

Sources