Robert Rauschenberg Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

American painter, Robert Rauschenberg was born on October 22nd, in 1925. He is best remembered for opening doors for the pop style of art during the 1960s. Similarly, he is also celebrated due to his ‘Combines’ form of painting in the 1950s. Following his contribution to the world of art, Rauschenberg was bestowed with the National Medal of Arts in the early 1990s.

Early Life

Milton Ernest Rauschenberg alias Robert Rauschenberg was born on October 22nd, in 1925. His birthplace was in Port Arthur, in Texas. Both of his parents namely Ernest R. Rauschenberg and Dora Carolina were Christians. Growing up, Rauschenberg had a reading disorder.

Education

When Robert Rauschenberg clocked 16, he joined the University of Texas. Initially, he took pharmacy classes. Later, in 1943, Rauschenberg joined the United States Navy where he offered his services as a hospital technician. Two years later, he was discharged.

Later on, Rauschenberg went ahead and took classes at the Kansas City Art Institute. After this, he went and took private art classes at the Académie Julian situated in Paris, France. It is while taking the private art classes that he crossed paths with his future wife called Susan Weil. The two went to Black Mountain College in 1948.

Career

Robert Rauschenberg's style of art was at times referred to as "Neo Dadaist."  Throughout his art career, Rauschenberg is best remembered for what is known as the ‘Combines.’ This was a unique form of art that used different arbitrary objects on a painted surface.

At the beginning of the 1950s era, Rauschenberg paid particular attention to designing for dances. This is something that he did until 2007.

Death

Robert Rauschenberg passed away on May 12th, in 2008. His cause of death was as a result of heart failure. He was 82 years old when he breathed last.