Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Fredrick J. Whiteman. It dates from 1937 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1937, this untitled lithograph belongs to a series of thirty-one prints by Fredrick J. Whiteman. The work is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s interest in abstracted forms and dynamic line work. Its composition is dominated by a slender, angular figure set against a geometric structure, conveying a sense of movement through stark contrasts.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a tall, narrow silhouette rendered with sharp, intersecting lines, evoking the posture of a violinist or a dancer in motion. Behind the figure, a block‑like edifice punctuated by circular motifs suggests windows or mechanical wheels. The juxtaposition of human and architectural elements invites interpretations of tension between organic gesture and industrial form.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the piece showcases bold, uneven strokes characteristic of Whiteman’s hand‑drawn approach to the medium.
Executed as a lithograph, the piece showcases bold, uneven strokes characteristic of Whiteman’s hand‑drawn approach to the medium. The print’s stark black lines and high contrast emphasize the immediacy of gesture, while the layered shapes create a sense of depth without reliance on tonal shading. The style aligns with the modernist tendency toward abstraction and kinetic expression prevalent in the 1930s.
History & Provenance
The lithograph was produced as part of Whiteman’s 1937 portfolio, a cohesive set of thirty‑one prints exploring similar visual vocabularies. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings through acquisition (date of acquisition not specified), where it remains on view as an example of the artist’s printmaking practice during the interwar period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Fredrick J. Whiteman (1909–1997) was an American artist, born in Punxsutawney.
