Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Jan Cox. It dates from 8 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
There are other shapes and figures around the central figure, including a round head with an open mouth on the right side.
This painting is a black-and-white lithograph with abstract shapes and figures. It features a central figure with a round head, a mustache, and a large nose, wearing a dress with dark spots. The figure has one arm raised and the other holding a long object. There are other shapes and figures around the central figure, including a round head with an open mouth on the right side.
The painting has a dark background and is signed by the artist in the bottom-right corner. The signature is hard to read, but it appears to be "Jan Cox" followed by a date, possibly "1949." The painting is held at The Museum of Modern Art.
If you're interested in learning more about the artist behind this piece, you might want to look up Jan Cox.
Overview
Jan Cox’s untitled lithograph, executed in black and white, presents an abstract composition centered on a stylized figure. The work balances stark tonal contrasts against a dark background, drawing attention to the central character’s exaggerated facial features and the surrounding geometric forms.
Subject & Meaning
The focal figure displays a round head, prominent nose, and moustache, clothed in a spotted dress, with one arm raised and the other grasping an elongated object. Additional rounded heads and amorphous shapes populate the field, suggesting a narrative of fragmented identities or a playful exploration of the human form.
Technique & Style
Created through the lithographic process, the piece relies on the artist’s manipulation of grease and water on a flat stone surface to achieve crisp line work and tonal variation. Cox’s approach emphasizes bold contouring and simplified forms, aligning with mid‑century abstract expressionist tendencies while retaining a graphic, almost cartoonish quality.
History & Provenance
Born in The Hague in 1919, Jan Cox worked across the United States and Belgium before his death in Antwerp in 1980. This particular lithograph, likely dated 1949 based on the faint signature, entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s print holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Cox (27 August 1919, The Hague – 7 October 1980, Antwerp) was a Dutch-Belgian painter who spent the largest part of his creative life in the United States and Belgium. He was born in The Hague.
