Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Harold Krisel. It dates from 1954 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1954, Untitled is a screenprint by Harold Krisel, part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection.
Created in 1954, Untitled is a screenprint by Harold Krisel, part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work consists of geometric forms arranged in two distinct groups: four dark brown rectangles stacked vertically and five yellow rectangles angled below, overlapping minimally. The composition relies on flat color fields against a white background, emphasizing structure over texture. Screenprinting enabled precise, uniform application of pigment without visible brushwork.
Subject & Meaning
The piece avoids representational imagery, instead presenting abstract arrangements of shape and color. The contrast between the grounded, vertical dark forms and the dynamic, angled yellows suggests a tension between stability and movement. No symbolic narrative is implied; meaning arises from the formal relationship between the elements, inviting attention to balance, scale, and spatial rhythm.
Technique & Style
Krisel employed screenprinting, a method that allows for sharp-edged, opaque color layers without blending or brushstroke variation. Each shape is rendered with consistent flatness, reinforcing the work’s industrial aesthetic. The limited palette and clean lines reflect mid-century modernist interests in simplicity and material honesty, aligning with broader trends in postwar American printmaking.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, indicating early institutional recognition of Krisel’s approach. While not widely exhibited, its inclusion in the museum’s print department reflects its significance within the context of 1950s experimental printmaking. No prior ownership records beyond the artist and the museum are publicly documented.
Context
Produced during a period when American artists were exploring abstraction through non-traditional media, Untitled aligns with the rise of geometric abstraction in print. Screenprinting, once associated with commercial use, gained artistic credibility through practitioners like Krisel, who leveraged its precision to pursue formal purity. The work resonates with contemporaries such as Ellsworth Kelly and Frank Stella, though on a more intimate scale.
Legacy
Untitled remains a quiet example of mid-century printmaking’s engagement with abstraction. Though not widely reproduced or studied, it contributes to the historical record of how artists used industrial techniques to challenge painterly conventions. Its presence in MoMA’s collection ensures its accessibility for ongoing scholarly and pedagogical examination within the evolution of American modernism.
Artist & collection
