Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor print by Ewald Mataré. It dates from 1949 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1949, this untitled work by German artist Ewald Mataré is a print that combines a woodcut base with selective watercolor washes. The piece is part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑century experimental printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents two elongated, silhouetted figures positioned closely together. Their forms are rendered with uneven, carved lines that suggest a sense of anonymity and tension, while the interplay of light and shadow hints at an ambiguous narrative about presence and proximity.
Technique & Style
Mataré employed a traditional woodcut process, carving the design into a wooden block to produce stark, textured lines. After printing, he applied watercolor pigments to specific areas, softening edges and introducing subtle tonal variations. This hybrid approach creates a juxtaposition of the rough, tactile quality of the cut with the fluidity of the paint.
History & Provenance
The print was produced shortly after World War II, a period when Mataré explored the limits of graphic media. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings through a mid‑20th‑century acquisition program focused on European modernist prints, and it has remained in the museum’s permanent collection since.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ewald Wilhelm Hubert Mataré was a German painter and sculptor, who dealt with, among other things, the figures of men and animals in a stylized form.
