Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Alberto Magnelli. It dates from 1953 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1953, this untitled work is a screenprint taken from a set of sixteen reproductions assembled by the Italian painter Alberto Magnelli. It belongs to the post‑World War II period when Magnelli was a central participant in the Concrete art movement, which pursued pure abstraction through geometric forms and a limited palette.
Subject & Meaning
The composition consists of a black field intersected by angular pink, blue and yellow triangles and linear elements that cut across the surface. A prominent semicircular shape rests at the lower edge, evoking a bowl or wave without referencing any recognizable object. The arrangement emphasizes the visual tension of intersecting planes rather than narrative content.
Technique & Style
Executed as a screenprint, the image displays crisp, flat areas of color and sharply defined edges, typical of Magnelli’s approach to geometric abstraction. The use of bold primary and secondary hues against a dominant black background highlights the contrast between positive and negative space, while the overlapping shapes create a sense of layered depth without modeling.
History & Provenance
The print was issued as part of a limited portfolio of sixteen works that documented Magnelli’s exploration of Concrete principles during the early 1950s. It has circulated among collectors of mid‑century European prints and is referenced in catalogues of Magnelli’s print output, illustrating his commitment to reproducible, non‑representational art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alberto Magnelli (1 July 1888 – 20 April 1971) was an Italian modern painter who was a significant figure in the post war Concrete art movement.
