Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Alexander Archipenko. It dates from 1913 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Alexander Archipenko's 1913 drawing, Untitled, is a mixed-media work on colored paper, combining cut-and-pasted elements with conté crayon and colored pencil.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a reclining figure, fragmented into geometric shapes that overlap and intersect. The body is broken down into flat planes, with the head shown from multiple angles and the limbs rendered as abstracted forms.
Technique & Style
Archipenko employed a range of techniques, including collage and drawing, to create a sense of tension between solidity and floatation. The juxtaposition of rough, expressive lines and smooth, cut-out shapes contributes to the work's unfinished, provisional quality.
Context
As a sculptor and graphic artist associated with the Cubist movement, Archipenko was experimenting with the application of Cubist principles to three-dimensional form and exploring new ways to represent space and structure.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alexander Porfyrovych Archipenko (May 30 1887 – February 25, 1964) was a Ukrainian-American avant-garde artist, sculptor, and graphic artist, active in France and the United States.
