Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Abram Krol. It dates from 1960 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1960, this print by Abram Krol combines engraving and aquatint on cut metal plates. It is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work presents a fragmented, abstracted human-animal hybrid face, rendered with contrasting textures and limited color. Its composition balances intricate line work with broad, flat areas of color, creating a tension between depth and surface.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure merges human and feline features—angular eyes, a broad yellow nose, and a red open mouth—suggesting a symbolic or mythic presence rather than a literal portrait. The addition of a small blue plant form and geometric shapes in the background introduces elements of nature and structure, possibly hinting at themes of identity, primal instinct, or the intersection of the organic and the constructed.
Technique & Style
Krol employed engraving for fine, sharp lines on the face, particularly around the eyes and jaw, while aquatint created tonal gradients in the background.
Krol employed engraving for fine, sharp lines on the face, particularly around the eyes and jaw, while aquatint created tonal gradients in the background. The face is densely cross-hatched, contrasting with smooth, unmodulated fields of yellow, red, and blue. The cut-plate format fragments the image, enhancing its abstract, almost collage-like quality, and emphasizes the handmade nature of the print process.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection in the early 1960s, during a period when the institution was actively acquiring experimental prints. Krol, though less widely known than some contemporaries, was part of a postwar circle exploring abstraction and graphic innovation. This piece reflects his engagement with printmaking as a medium for personal, non-narrative expression.
Context
Emerging in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Krol’s work aligns with broader trends in American printmaking that favored abstraction and expressive mark-making over realism. Artists were redefining printmaking beyond reproduction, using it to explore psychological and symbolic forms. This piece fits within that shift, echoing the influence of Surrealism and Expressionism without direct imitation.
Legacy
Though not widely reproduced, the work remains a quiet example of mid-century American printmaking’s experimental spirit. It demonstrates how technical precision in engraving and aquatint could serve abstract, emotionally charged imagery. Its presence in MoMA’s collection ensures its continued visibility as a case study in the medium’s capacity for personal symbolism.
Artist & collection
