Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an oil painting by the Abstract Expressionist artist Gregorio Vardanega. It dates from 1948 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1948, this untitled work by Gregorio Vardanega is an abstract composition executed in oil and oleoresin on a wooden support. The painting is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is displayed among other mid‑century modernist pieces.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas is organized around a series of large, overlapping circles rendered in muted tones of yellow, blue and red. Smaller squares and linear marks appear near the lower edge, suggesting a subtle interplay between geometric forms and a calm, almost meditative atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Vardanega employs a glazing technique, applying thin, translucent layers of paint that build up a sense of depth beneath the solid color fields. The surface is mostly smooth, with occasional outlines—a dotted red edge on one circle and a fine black line within another—adding delicate visual contrast.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the painting has remained in the public domain, entering MoMA's collection through acquisition in the post‑war period. Its presence in the museum underscores Vardanega's role in the development of abstract visual language in the late 1940s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gregorio Vardanega was an artist of Italian origins who worked in Argentina and France. Vardanega and Martha Boto, his companion, created the term "chromocinetism" to describe their artistic research.
