Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Anthony Currell. It dates from 1963 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
The person on the left is wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and the person on the right is wearing a long-sleeved shirt with a white stripe down the middle.
This image shows a black-and-white drawing of two people. The person on the left is wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and the person on the right is wearing a long-sleeved shirt with a white stripe down the middle. The drawing is done in a simple style, with bold lines and minimal detail.
The drawing is signed "Anthony Currell" in the bottom-left corner, and the year "1963" is written in the bottom-right corner. The drawing is done on a white background, which helps the black lines stand out.
If you like this style of drawing, you might want to look up more works by artist Anthony Currell.
Overview
Created in 1963, this drypoint print by Anthony Currell is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Executed in black ink on white paper, the work features two figures rendered with minimal detail and strong, clean lines. The absence of shading and the stark contrast between ink and ground emphasize form over texture, reflecting a restrained, graphic approach typical of Currell’s printmaking during this period.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts two standing figures, both dressed in long-sleeved shirts, one marked by a vertical white stripe. Their postures are static, faces and features omitted, suggesting anonymity rather than individual identity. The composition invites interpretation as a study of human presence or social pairing, but avoids narrative or emotional cues, leaving meaning open and understated.
Technique & Style
Currell employed drypoint, a printmaking method involving incising lines directly into a metal plate with a sharp needle. The resulting burr holds ink to produce soft, velvety black lines, though here the effect is controlled and sharp, with little tonal variation. The style is reductive: contours define form without ornament, and the white paper functions as negative space, heightening the impact of each stroke.
History & Provenance
The work was completed in 1963 and later acquired by The Museum of Modern Art. Currell, primarily active in the mid-20th century, was known for his intimate, often solitary figures in print and drawing. This piece, unsigned in the traditional sense but bearing his name and date in the margins, aligns with his practice of marking works plainly, prioritizing the image over ceremonial attribution.
Context
In the early 1960s, many artists in Britain and the U.S. turned toward simplified forms and process-driven techniques, reacting against expressive abstraction. Currell’s drypoint fits within this trend, echoing the quiet economy of artists like Francis Bacon or Edward Hopper in their focus on isolated figures and spatial ambiguity, though without their psychological intensity.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited, this print contributes to understanding Currell’s consistent engagement with figure drawing through print media. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection affirms its value as a representative example of postwar British printmaking that favors restraint, clarity, and formal precision over dramatic effect.
Artist & collection
