Rauschenberg’s White Paintings (1951): A Catalogue Raisonné Case Study

On October 18, 1951, Robert Rauschenberg wrote a letter to his gallerist, Betty Parsons, announcing a new series of work “dealing with the suspense, excitement, and body of an organic silence.” Despite an initially negative reception, his White Paintings have since been recognized as a critical precursor to Conceptualism and Minimalism. Rauschenberg felt it essential to maintain the pristine, white surface of the paintings, and, as such, allowed the series to be repainted and refabricated. What is the role of a catalogue raisonné, which is primarily concerned with the material presence of a work, in presenting a conceptual series? Kate Claman ‘19, Researcher, Catalogue Raisonné at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, will discuss the complexities of researching and writing entry notes for non-static objects.