Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by Barbara Chase-Riboud. It dates from 1971 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1971, this charcoal and pencil drawing by Barbara Chase-Riboud is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection. It presents a solitary figure viewed from behind, rendered with minimal detail and a focus on posture and texture. The work belongs to a series in which Chase-Riboud explored the human form through restrained, expressive mark-making, emphasizing presence over narrative.
Subject & Meaning
The figure, seen from behind with head slightly turned, evokes introspection and quiet solitude. The absence of facial features directs attention to the body’s tension and the weight of the hair, which becomes a dominant emotional element. The pose suggests vulnerability or contemplation, inviting viewers to consider inner states rather than external identity.
Technique & Style
Chase-Riboud employed thick, gestural charcoal strokes to build the dense, tangled mass of hair, using heavy shading and cross-hatching to create texture and volume. The rest of the figure is rendered lightly, with sparse pencil lines, creating a contrast that isolates the hair as the drawing’s focal point. The technique balances control with spontaneity, emphasizing materiality over realism.
History & Provenance
The drawing was acquired by The Museum of Modern Art shortly after its creation, reflecting the institution’s early recognition of Chase-Riboud’s contribution to contemporary drawing. It has remained in the museum’s collection since, consistently included in exhibitions examining postwar American art and the role of the figure in abstraction.
Context
Made during a period when Chase-Riboud was deepening her engagement with African and African diasporic aesthetics, this work aligns with broader artistic inquiries into identity and embodiment. While abstract in form, it resists purely formal readings, grounding its abstraction in the physicality of the body and the cultural resonance of hair as a symbol.
Legacy
This drawing exemplifies Chase-Riboud’s unique approach to line and mass, influencing later artists who explore the figure through minimalism and material expression. Its quiet intensity has contributed to broader reassessments of women artists working in drawing during the 1970s, affirming the power of restraint in conveying psychological depth.
Artist & collection
Artist
Barbara Chase-Riboud is an American and French visual artist, sculptor, novelist, and poet.
