Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Adolf Richard Fleischmann. It dates from 1959 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The overall effect is one of subtle texture, with the colors appearing slightly blurred, characteristic of the screenprinting process.
Created in 1959, this screenprint by German artist Adolf Richard Fleischmann presents a composition of irregular, overlapping bands of muted blue, yellow, gray and dominant black. The forms are arranged in a loosely oval configuration, intersected by a set of vertical strokes that disrupt the rhythm. The overall effect is one of subtle texture, with the colors appearing slightly blurred, characteristic of the screenprinting process.
Subject & Meaning
The work does not depict recognizable objects; instead it investigates how simple geometric elements can affect visual perception. By arranging uneven stripes and intersecting lines, Fleischmann invites viewers to consider the interplay of shape, color and space, echoing his late shift toward constructivist concerns about order and optical experience.
Technique & Style
Executed as a screenprint, the piece relies on layered stencils that produce the soft, chalk‑like hues and the faint smudging at the edges of each band. The irregular, non‑aligned stripes and the woven appearance of overlapping layers reflect Fleischmann’s move toward a proto‑Op Art aesthetic, emphasizing systematic yet slightly imperfect geometric arrangements.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during a period when Fleischmann was transitioning from abstract painting to a more constructivist visual language. It entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of mid‑20th‑century printmaking and abstract art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adolf Richard Fleischmann (18 March 1892 – 28 January 1968) was a German abstract painter. His late work evolved into constructivism; he is considered a precursor of Op Art.
