Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a pastel print by John Edward Dowell. It dates from 1981 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1981, this untitled work combines a lithographic base with hand‑applied pastel accents. The composition consists of two faint, curved lines that emit a subtle glow against a deep black field, punctuated by scattered white specks reminiscent of distant stars. Soft hues of pink, blue and silver merge with the darkness, giving the piece an ethereal, almost remembered quality.
Subject & Meaning
The imagery suggests an abstracted suggestion of movement and light, evoking a sense of fleeting memory or a momentary vision. The delicate lines and dispersed points of light invite viewers to contemplate the interplay between presence and absence, hinting at an inner landscape that is both tangible and elusive.
Technique & Style
Dowell employed traditional lithography to establish the foundational forms, then enhanced the surface with pastel sticks, creating a hybrid texture where printed precision meets the tactile softness of pastel. This combination produces slightly blurred edges and a luminous quality that blurs the boundary between drawing and print, characteristic of his experimental approach to mixed media.
History & Provenance
American artist John Edward Dowell Jr., born in 1941, was a printmaker, painter, and longtime educator, serving as a professor of printmaking at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University. The 1981 lithograph with pastel additions entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of contemporary print media.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Edward Dowell Jr. (born 1941) is an American printmaker, painter, and educator. He was a professor of printmaking at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia.
