Monogram. Robert Rauschenberg

Come and see Robert Rauschenberg’s legendary work "Monogram", now on display in The Study Gallery. This is your chance to get up close with our world-famous goat and dive deeper into the artist's world through a fascinating collection of personal letters, photographs, and other archival treasures.

Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008) was one of the most influential figures in modern art. His boundary-pushing ideas helped shape many of the movements we know today, from Pop Art and performance art to Neo-Dada and beyond.

"Monogram" has been a favorite in the Moderna Museet collection since 1964. Rauschenberg described works like this as "combines"—a creative hybrid that sits somewhere between a painting and a sculpture. There’s a great story behind it, too: the artist actually found the angora goat in a shop for used office furniture. He spent years reworking the piece before finally placing the goat on the collage-like base where it stands today.

The title "Monogram" comes from the way the goat and the car tire interlock, just like the overlapping letters of a classic monogram. Over the years, people have discovered all sorts of meanings in the work, connecting it to Rauschenberg’s childhood in Texas, his thoughts on religion and sexuality, and the vibrant energy of New York City.