Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Alfonso Ossorio. It dates from 1950 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
This painting looks like a tangled mess of lines—thick, wavy strokes in white and pale green crisscross over a dark, muddy background.
This painting looks like a tangled mess of lines—thick, wavy strokes in white and pale green crisscross over a dark, muddy background. The colors are mostly browns and reds, with some spots of green and white peeking through. It doesn’t show anything real; just swirls and scribbles that don’t form clear shapes.
The artist used watercolor and wax to create this abstract work in 1950. The lines feel almost like vines or roots spreading everywhere, but it’s not supposed to mean anything specific.
If you like this wild, messy style, check out watercolor, glazing for more on how artists layer colors like this.
Overview
Alfonso Ossorio's 1950 work, Untitled, is an abstract drawing on board that combines watercolor and wax. It is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing features non-representational forms, with thick, wavy lines in white and pale green overlaying a dark background of browns and reds. The abstract composition does not depict recognizable subjects.
Technique & Style
Ossorio employed watercolor and wax to achieve a layered, textured effect. The technique allowed for the creation of intricate, spontaneous patterns that characterize his abstract expressionist style.
History & Provenance
Ossorio, born in Manila in 1916, studied fine art at Harvard University and the Rhode Island School of Design before developing his distinctive style in the United States.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alfonso Angel Yangco Ossorio (August 2, 1916 – December 5, 1990) was a Filipino American abstract expressionist artist who was born in Manila in 1916 to wealthy Filipino parents from the province of Negros Occidental.
