Modern

Robert Smithson

Born 1938 Died 1973 Works span 1966–1970

Early Life and Artistic Beginnings Born: January 2, 1938, in Passaic, New Jersey Early years spent in Rutherford and Clifton, New Jersey Studied painting and drawing at the Art Students League of New York (1955-1956) Early artwork explored collage influenced by homoerotic themes, science fiction, and pop art. Primarily identified as a painter during this period. Influenced by William Carlos Williams, who was his pediatricia…

dated works

chapters

1966

first work

1970

last work

Chronological Journey

The Lifeline

Scroll through Robert Smithson's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.

Drag or scroll to travel through time

Chapters — Career Periods

The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups Robert Smithson's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.

Thumbnails — Dated Works

Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.

Colour Band — Movement Drift

The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.