"Factum I and II" 1957 oil, ink, pencil, paper, fabric, newspaper, printed reproductions, and printed paper on canvas by Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008) at @themuseumofmodernart the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Written near the painting: Despite being titled sequentially, "Factum I" and "Factum II" were painted simultaneously, and Rauschenberg was explicit that "neither one of these paintings was an imitation of the other." His aim was to explore "the role that accident played in my work...I wanted to see how different, and in what way, would be two different paintings that looked that much alike." Although Rauschenberg claimed not to be able to see any difference between the two completed works, subtle variations are visible when the paintings are observed together. Of Rauschenberg's plays with visual perception, John Cage wrote, "Everything is so much the same, one becomes acutely aware of the differences, and quickly." #rauschenberg #robertrauschenberg #factum #combinepainting #simultaneouspaintings #rauschenbergweek (at MoMA The Museum of Modern Art)