Robert Mangold was born in North Tonawanda, New York. He first trained at the Cleveland Institute of Art from 1956 to 1959, and then at Yale University, New Haven, (MFA, 1963).

Mangold’s works are derived from the idea of geometry and asymmetry in shape and form, and challenge the limits of the two-dimensional medium, as his works appear as objects rather than images. Elements in his work refer to architectural elements or have the feeling of an architect's hands as his signature asymmetrical canvases stack up into a vertical plane, evoking classical architectural elements. He is associated with Minimalism, however he also recalls sources from Ancient Greek pottery to Renaissance frescoes. He combines the classic elements of composition—shape, line, and color—to create abstract works of architectural scale, drawing by hand thick and thin graphite lines on subtly modulated planes of color. He almost always works in extensive series, often carried through both paintings and works on paper. Mangold’s work can be found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Kunstmuseum Basel, among others. He lives and works in New York and is represented by Pace Gallery.