Cy Twombly – Reiner Speck. Fragments Of An Adoration

When collecting passion leads to friendship

Two impressive personalities, united by their very individual passion for art: this is the basis for this exhibition catalogue, which showcases the abstract expressionist works of American artist Cy Twombly, but only those that the eminent bibliophile Dr Reiner Speck – whose passion for collecting extends far beyond antiquarian literature – has collected with great dedication over many years.

Speck’s interest in contemporary art grew in the late 1960s. Through collecting drawings, prints, photographs and other media by the artist and engaging deeply with these works, an intense friendship with Twombly developed after an initial meeting in Rome. It thrived on a shared love of art and literature, intense intellectual exchange and was cemented by countless meetings.

This brochure was produced in collaboration with Speck and illustrates the close connection between collector and artist – not only in the selection of Twombly’s works on paper in Speck’s possession, but also in a literary sense. The works featured in the exhibition catalogue will be exhibited at the Maison d’Art in Los Angeles in winter/spring 2025.