Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Jean Dubuffet. It dates from 1976 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1976, this untitled screenprint by Jean Dubuffet belongs to the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work presents two large, block‑shaped figures intertwined, rendered in bold red and blue fields intersected by stark stripes. A diminutive stick‑figure figure is tucked between the larger forms, almost concealed, giving the composition a playful yet confrontational presence.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes crude, geometric silhouettes that suggest a tangled encounter between two bodies, while the hidden stick figure hints at an observer or a marginal participant. Dubuffet’s use of simplified shapes and flat color evokes a childlike visual language, yet the entanglement can be read as a commentary on human interaction and the complexity hidden beneath primitive forms.
Technique & Style
Executed as a screenprint, the piece relies on sharp-edged stencils that produce flat, unmodulated areas of red and blue. The technique emphasizes texture through the juxtaposition of solid color blocks and linear hatching, reinforcing Dubuffet’s interest in irregular, tactile surfaces. The graphic simplicity aligns with his broader rejection of refined academic aesthetics.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Dubuffet’s mid‑1970s period of intensive work with print media, a phase in which he explored non‑traditional visual vocabularies. After its creation, the work entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s holdings of post‑war European art.
Context
Dubuffet, a central figure of the École de Paris, coined the term “art brut” to describe art created outside the cultural mainstream. This screenprint reflects his ongoing engagement with outsider aesthetics, drawing on sources considered marginal or “low” to challenge conventional standards of beauty and technique within the contemporary art world.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet (French pronunciation: ; 31 July 1901 – 12 May 1985) was a French painter and sculptor of the École de Paris (School of Paris).
