Cy Twombly and the «Delian Ode 43»

Works by the American painter and draughtsman Cy Twombly (1928–2011) can be found today in the great museums of the world, such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York or the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Twombly is among the important representatives of Abstract Expressionism, belonging — unlike Jackson Pollock, for instance — to the second generation of the movement. Twombly's paintings and drawings were mostly created in Europe, including the series «Delian Ode», comprising around 60 sheets, made on Mykonos in 1961.

The drawing «Delian Ode 43» on offer comes from the collection of Silvia and Walter Frei. It was bought by the theologian Walter Frei, himself artistically active as an abstract painter, at the gallery of Felix Handschin. He noted the following anecdote: «When I saw it exhibited at Handschin's, I feverishly asked Felix for the price. He said: 900 CHF — but if you pay cash within an hour: 450 CHF and a picture of yours. I ran, cracked open the piggy bank, and painted him an Hommage à Félix.»

At the Autumn Auction 2025, the drawing was knocked down for CHF 240,000 against an estimate of CHF 50,000.

Published in the highlight brochure for the Autumn Auction 2025 (auction 71).