Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by Barbara Chase-Riboud. It dates from 1966 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1966, this charcoal drawing by Barbara Chase‑Riboud is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1966, this charcoal drawing by Barbara Chase‑Riboud is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work is untitled and consists of a single sheet of paper on which the artist renders a solitary figure draped in voluminous fabric.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a reclined figure whose head is turned away, enveloped in heavy, stone‑like folds of cloth. The stark contrast between the dark background and the illuminated fabric emphasizes the figure’s isolation and the tactile quality of the material.
Technique & Style
Using charcoal, Chase‑Riboud builds a dense network of overlapping lines that generate deep chiaroscuro. The artist’s manipulation of light and shadow creates a textured surface, giving the fabric a weighty, almost three‑dimensional presence against the black void.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced in the mid‑1960s, a period when Chase‑Riboud was exploring figurative abstraction. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it remains on display as part of the institution’s modern drawing collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Barbara Chase-Riboud is an American and French visual artist, sculptor, novelist, and poet.
