Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Horst Antes. It dates from 1967 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1967, this untitled work by Horst Antes combines colored ink, ink, gouache and pencil on paper. It is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The composition presents a reclining figure whose head rests on an arm, while a floating, winged entity with oversized eyes hovers above, rendered in a restrained palette of beige, green, purple and black.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing juxtaposes a tranquil, human presence with an ambiguous, dreamlike creature. The reclining figure suggests a moment of rest or introspection, whereas the hovering, eyeless winged form introduces a surreal, perhaps subconscious element, inviting viewers to contemplate the boundary between everyday reality and imagined realms.
Technique & Style
Antes employs swift, sketchy strokes that blend the immediacy of drawing with the opacity of gouache. The limited color scheme emphasizes form over detail, while the use of pencil lines adds definition. The combination of media creates a layered surface where the figure and the fantastical element coexist in a loosely rendered, expressive manner.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in the late 1960s, a period marked by Antes’s exploration of figurative abstraction. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it remains on display as part of the institution’s representation of post‑war European drawing practices.
Artist & collection
