Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Gloria Cortella. It dates from 1966 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Gloria Cortella created this lithograph in 1966, a single-print work now in The Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Executed with rapid, expressive lines, the image avoids refined detail in favor of energetic abstraction. The technique allows for spontaneous mark-making, aligning with the artist’s loose, gestural approach to form and composition.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a simplified face, rendered with broad, ambiguous features: large eyes, a minimal nose, and a curved mouth that hovers between expression and neutrality. Wild, swirling lines suggest hair or emotional turbulence, while the dark, splattered background absorbs spatial context. The face resists clear interpretation, evoking inner states rather than a specific identity.
Technique & Style
Lithography enabled Cortella to translate direct, hand-drawn gestures onto stone, preserving the immediacy of sketching. The image relies on contrast and texture rather than shading—jagged strokes define form, while ink splatters create depth without detail. The work’s urgency reflects an interest in process over polish, prioritizing gesture over realism.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in 1966 and entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly thereafter. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s interest in postwar printmaking that emphasized personal expression and experimental technique. No earlier ownership records are publicly documented, suggesting it was likely made and retained by the artist initially.
Context
Emerging in the mid-1960s, this work aligns with broader trends in American printmaking that valued spontaneity and emotional intensity over traditional craftsmanship. Artists were increasingly turning to lithography for its capacity to capture raw, unmediated marks, echoing contemporaneous developments in abstract expressionism and countercultural visual language.
Legacy
Cortella’s lithograph contributes to a quieter but significant strand of 1960s printmaking that prioritized psychological resonance over narrative clarity. While not widely exhibited, its presence in MoMA’s collection situates it within a lineage of artists who used print media to explore the limits of figuration and the power of minimal, emotive form.
Artist & collection
