Robert Rauschenberg

Sonnabend Gallery, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 1984

New York, Sonnabend Gallery, Summer Group Show, June 1984
Sarasota, John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Robert Rauschenberg: Works from the Salvage Series, March - May 1985, cat no. 15, p. 19

Barbara Rose, Rauschenberg, New York, 1987, p. 32, illustrated in color
Mary Lynn Kotz, Rauschenberg / Art and Life, 1st Edition, New York, 1990, p. 236, illustrated in color
Mary Lynn Kotz, Rauschenberg / Art and Life, 2nd Edition, New York, 2004, p. 236, illustrated in color

This work is in very good condition overall. The colors are vibrant and the canvas is well-stretched. There is some soiling to the surface and evidence of wear and handling marks particularly at the edges. There is a scuff mark located 8 inches from the top edge and 53 inches from the left edge. There is a repaired 2 inch hairline vertical slit in the upper-right corner located approximately 4 inches from the top edge and 3 ½ inches from the right edge which has been professionally addressed by Amann + Estabrook Conservation. This slit is not discernible under normal light conditions. There is no apparent evidence of inpainting visible when examined under ultra violet light. This work is unframed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Gospel Yodel is an exceptional example of Robert Rauschenberg's Salvage series (1983-1985) where the artist's multifarious imagery became revitalized by a renewed confidence in his gesture. The series was inspired by the Trisha Brown dance collaboration Set and Reset presented in New York in 1983. Rauschenberg, a storied participant in stage set designs due to his sophisticated ability to fuse color and light within new juxtapositions —prompted him to his boldest and freshest conceptions in the theater. In Set and Reset Rauschenberg mimicked the multiple experiences of the performance creating a backdrop of layered imagery within a spatial configuration that deliberately encouraged divergent readings. The Salvage series produced immediately thereafter therefore represents a unique and direct corollary between Rauschenberg's fascination with theatre and his radical artistic genius.

In Gospel Yodel vigorous brushstrokes are boldly cast over what appears to be distinctly American silk screened imagery. The imagery, rendered on a prodigious scale, includes images of popular American alcohol brands, sexy women, variegated images of trains and stations and a compelling image of a magnificent buffalo, all suggesting the influence of the great American west. The very title, "Gospel" with its religious associations and "Yodel", often associated with blue grass or country music, suggest Rauschenberg's very own, spiritual America and all its labyrinthine associations. 1984, the date this work was executed, Ronald Reagan, whose supporters credit him with winning the Cold War, as well as restoring America's self-confidence and rebuilding its economic and military strength, had just been re-elected by a landslide victory, and the XXIII Olympiad taking place in Los Angeles, echoed the euphoria of American nationalism of the time.