Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by Chuck Close. It dates from 1988 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled, created by Chuck Close in 1988, is a printwork comprising a linoleum cut (A) and a companion book of 14 line blocks (B and C). This piece is part of a series of large-scale portraits produced after the artist adapted his techniques following a spinal injury.
Subject & Meaning
The work is a close-up portrait of an older man distinguished by a wild white beard and curly hair. The dramatic, side-lit illumination emphasizes the subject's facial topography, drawing attention to his wrinkled skin and expressive eyes against a plain black background.
Technique & Style
Close employed linoleum cut printing for this image, carving the design into linoleum before printing. Characteristic of his practice, the piece blends photorealist attention to detail with the abstract, textured quality inherent to the linoleum cut method.
History & Provenance
Untitled is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection, reflecting its significance within Close's post-injury body of work and the broader context of contemporary portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Thomas Close (July 5, 1940 – August 19, 2021) was an American painter, visual artist, and photographer who made massive-scale photorealist and abstract portraits of himself and others.
