Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Jasper Johns. It dates from 1999 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Untitled (1999) is an etching and aquatint print by Jasper Johns, a pivotal figure in postwar American art, known for his diverse practice spanning painting, sculpture, drawing, and printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The print presents two juxtaposed panels. The left panel features dark purple grounds with hand-drawn golden lines and shapes, evoking a draped fabric adorned with cryptic symbols or a map-like configuration. The right panel contrasts with a soft, blended arrangement of geometric diamond shapes in gray, green, and yellow, accompanied by a small figure at the bottom.
Technique & Style
Johns employed etching and aquatint techniques to achieve distinct visual effects: the left panel’s golden lines convey a sense of spontaneity, while the right panel’s geometric forms, rendered in muted, blended colors, balance structure with softness.
History & Provenance
Untitled is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection, reflecting the institution’s interest in Johns’s innovative contributions to printmaking.
Context
Created in 1999, this work aligns with Johns’s long-standing exploration of mixed techniques and symbolic imagery, situating it within his broader practice that bridges abstract expressionism, Neo-Dada, and pop art sensibilities.
Legacy
As a late 20th-century print, Untitled contributes to the evolution of contemporary printmaking, demonstrating Johns’s continued influence on experimental techniques and compositional innovation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jasper Johns (born May 15, 1930) is an American painter, sculptor, draftsman, and printmaker.
