Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Alfredo Zalce. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
The lines are bold and simple—no shading, just shapes that read fast, like a protest poster should.
You see a crowd of shoeshine workers marching down a street, fists raised, signs in hand.
Zalce made this print in 1940 with a group called Taller de Gráfica Popular. They were artists who believed prints could reach everyday people, not just collectors. The lines are bold and simple—no shading, just shapes that read fast, like a protest poster should. The workers aren’t individuals; they’re one force, moving together.
Look up the technique: lithography.
Overview
Untitled is a 1940 lithograph by Mexican artist Alfredo Zalce Torres, reflecting his involvement in socially engaged art practices of the time.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a unified crowd of shoeshine workers marching with raised fists and signs, symbolizing collective action and social protest.
Technique & Style
Executed in bold, simple lines without shading, the lithograph's graphic clarity suits its message, evoking the immediacy of a protest poster. The unified, non-individualized figures emphasize collective force.
History & Provenance
Created in collaboration with Taller de Gráfica Popular, a group leveraging printmaking to reach a broad audience beyond collectors.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alfredo Zalce Torres (12 January 1908 – 19 January 2003) was a Mexican artist and contemporary of Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros and other better-known muralists.
