Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Manuel Manilla (follower of) José-Guadalupe Posada. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1892, this relief engraving—catalogued as Untitled—is part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art. The work is a black‑and‑white print that presents a dense arrangement of skeletal forms, dominated by a central skull with an open mouth and surrounded by smaller skulls and fragmented bones.
Subject & Meaning
The composition concentrates on mortality, using a chaotic tangle of bones to evoke the fragility of life. The central, gaping skull draws the eye, while the surrounding fragments suggest a disordered, perhaps ritualistic, landscape of death.
Technique & Style
Posada employed cross‑hatching, overlapping fine lines to build tonal depth and texture. This method creates a rough, almost tactile surface, enhancing the stark contrast between the darkened areas and the paper’s white background.
History & Provenance
The engraving is attributed to José‑Guadalupe Posada, with involvement from Manuel Manilla, and dates to the late nineteenth century. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings as part of its print and drawing acquisitions, though the exact path of ownership prior to MoMA is not documented.
Context
Posada, a prolific Mexican printmaker, often used macabre imagery to comment on social and political conditions. This untitled work aligns with his broader oeuvre, which frequently featured skeletal motifs as a visual shorthand for death and societal critique.
Artist & collection
Artist
Manuel Manilla (follower of) José-Guadalupe Posada
Manuel Manilla José-Guadalupe Posada (1852–1913) was a Mexican artist.
