Artwork

Untitled

Untitled, by Corrado Cagli, 1945
Untitled, by Corrado Cagli, 1945

Untitled is a drawing by Corrado Cagli. It dates from 1945 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

About this work

Overview

Corrado Cagli's *Untitled* (1945) is a transfer drawing created during the artist's wartime residence in the United States. Characterized by expressive, textured lines, the work depicts a scene of architectural and human elements set amidst dynamic natural surroundings.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing features a tall stone tower topped with a cross, connected by a three-arched bridge, alongside figures engaged in boating and standing on shore. The specific meaning or narrative behind these elements is not explicitly stated, leaving interpretation open.

Technique & Style

Cagli employed quick, crisscrossed strokes and cross-hatching techniques to achieve a textured, scratchy appearance. This method allowed for simultaneous simplicity and detailed depth in rendering shadows and forms.

History & Provenance

Created in 1945 by Corrado Cagli, an Italian artist of Jewish heritage, during his wartime period in the U.S., *Untitled* is now part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.

Context

Born in 1910, Cagli moved to Rome in 1915, beginning his artistic career with murals in the late 1920s and co-founding the *New Roman School of Painting* in the early 1930s, influences that may underpin the stylistic and thematic choices in *Untitled*.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Corrado Cagli

Artist

Corrado Cagli

Corrado Cagli (1910–1976) was an Italian painter of Jewish heritage, who lived in the United States during World War II.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Museum of Modern Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.