Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Fritz Glarner. It dates from 1963 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Within this framework, small squares of red, yellow and blue punctuate the composition, set against a predominantly gray‑white ground.
Fritz Glarner’s 1963 lithograph, untitled, belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Executed in the lithographic process, the work presents a densely patterned circular field composed of intersecting black lines that generate a network of geometric forms. Within this framework, small squares of red, yellow and blue punctuate the composition, set against a predominantly gray‑white ground.
Subject & Meaning
The image functions as an abstract puzzle, its central circle fragmented by a lattice of sharp strokes that suggest depth without defined edges. The isolated color blocks act as visual interruptions, drawing the eye and creating a tension between the monochrome structure and the vivid accents, inviting contemplation of order versus spontaneity.
Technique & Style
Created through lithography, Glarner employed the traditional planographic method, drawing directly onto a stone or metal plate with greasy media. The resulting prints retain the crispness of the black line work while allowing subtle tonal variations in the background. The piece reflects Glarner’s engagement with geometric abstraction, echoing the language of Constructivism and the Bauhaus emphasis on form and color.
History & Provenance
The lithograph was produced in 1963, a period when Glarner was actively exhibiting his abstract compositions in Europe and the United States. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of mid‑twentieth‑century printmaking, documenting the artist’s contribution to post‑war abstract art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Fritz Glarner was a Swiss-American painter. He was a proponent of Concrete Art movement and a disciple of Piet Mondrian.
