Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a tempera painting by the American Folk Art artist Batiste Madalena. It dates from 1928 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created around 1928, this tempera work measures roughly 110 by 63 centimeters and is executed on poster board.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1928, this tempera work measures roughly 110 by 63 centimeters and is executed on poster board. The image presents a close-up of a dark‑haired man in a dark suit and light shirt, his gaze turned slightly away. A pale blue oval forms the background, punctuated by a bright yellow caption that identifies the figure as Richard Barthelmess in the film *The Nozzle*.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait functions as a promotional image for the 1928 motion picture *The Nozzle*, featuring its star, actor Richard Barthelmess. The serious expression and formal attire convey the dramatic tone of the film, while the text bubble directly informs viewers of the actor’s role, linking the visual to its cinematic context.
Technique & Style
Rendered in tempera—a medium that blends pigment with egg yolk—the piece displays bold, thick brushstrokes and a restrained palette of dark, blue, and yellow tones. The flat oval background and graphic text element reflect a simplified, almost commercial aesthetic typical of early film advertising.
History & Provenance
The work entered the public record through the collection of Judith and Steven Katten, who donated it to the museum. Its catalog reference, F1926, aligns it with other film‑related artworks from the late 1920s, situating it within the era’s promotional art practices.
Context
During the late 1920s, tempera on inexpensive supports like poster board was a common choice for quickly produced advertising images. This piece exemplifies how studios employed fine‑art techniques to create striking visual cues for theatrical releases, bridging commercial and artistic realms.
Artist & collection
Artist
Batiste Madalena (1902–1988) was an American commercial artist best known for the original advertisements he created for the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, NY from 1924-1928.
![Untitled [Portrait of a young man], by Elizabeth Berry](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/elizabeth-berry--untitled-portrait-of-a-young-man--e0ae3c0cacb1f228-w320.webp)