Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Irene Rice Pereira. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1940, this drawing by Irene Rice Pereira combines pencil, gouache, and metallic paint on paper. It belongs to The Museum of Modern Art’s collection and exemplifies her exploration of abstraction through mixed media. The work resists clear representation, instead emphasizing formal elements such as line, texture, and tonal contrast to evoke spatial and rhythmic relationships.
Subject & Meaning
The piece does not depict recognizable figures or scenes. Rather, it investigates the interplay of geometric and organic forms, suggesting movement and structure without narrative. The absence of color beyond grayscale and metallic accents directs attention to composition and materiality, reflecting Pereira’s interest in modernist ideals of purity and abstraction.
Technique & Style
Pereira layered pencil lines with opaque gouache and reflective metallic paint to create varied surfaces and depths. Contrasting sharp edges with soft gradients, she built complexity through repetition and variation of linear patterns. The metallic elements catch light differently depending on viewing angle, introducing an ephemeral quality to the static medium.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection in the mid-20th century, following Pereira’s participation in key exhibitions of American abstraction. It was produced during a period when she was actively engaging with industrial materials and non-traditional techniques, aligning her practice with broader experimental currents in post-war American art.
Context
In the 1940s, Pereira was part of a generation of artists redefining painting through abstraction and material innovation. Her use of metallics and industrial media distinguished her from contemporaries focused solely on pigment. This work reflects her engagement with architecture, engineering, and the visual language of modern technology.
Legacy
Pereira’s integration of unconventional materials into fine art drawing influenced later artists exploring surface and light. Though less widely known than some peers, her work contributed to the expansion of abstract vocabulary in mid-century American art, particularly in bridging craft-based techniques with conceptual rigor.
Artist & collection
Artist
Irene Rice Pereira, known professionally as I. Rice Pereira, was an American abstract artist, poet and philosopher who played a major role in the development of modernism in the United States. Pereira is known for her…
