Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by César. It dates from 1963 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1963, this untitled work by the French artist César is a print that combines etching and engraving techniques. The piece is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Its composition consists of dense, intersecting lines rendered in stark white against a dark field, evoking the fragmented appearance of a torn city map.
Subject & Meaning
The image suggests a cartographic surface that has been deliberately torn, rearranged, and reassembled, producing a chaotic network of jagged pathways. By abstracting the familiar structure of streets and blocks, the work invites viewers to contemplate the instability of urban order and the possibility of disruption within seemingly systematic environments.
Technique & Style
César employed both etching and engraving on a metal plate, using sharp tools to incise lines that vary in depth and texture. The resulting print displays a dense overlay of irregular strokes, where the white incised areas contrast sharply with the dark background, creating a visual tension characteristic of mid‑century experimental printmaking.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced in the early 1960s, a period when César was expanding his practice beyond sculpture into graphic media. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, where it has remained on view as an example of the artist’s engagement with print processes during that decade.
Artist & collection
