Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Josip Vaništa in 1961.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Artwork

Untitled

Josip Vaništa , 1961

Untitled is a silver drawing by Josip Vaništa. It dates from 1961 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1961 by Croatian artist Josip Vaništa, this untitled work consists of a series of gelatin‑silver photographic images adhered to a fabric substrate. The piece is catalogued as a drawing and belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a linear arrangement of small portraiture fragments. Individual faces vary in pose—some stare directly forward, others turn slightly—and are distinguished by differing attire, including hats, suits, and a figure holding an infant. The juxtaposition of intimate portraiture with anonymous presentation invites contemplation of identity and anonymity.

Technique & Style

Vaništa employed the gelatin‑silver process, traditionally used for paper photographs, but transferred the prints onto cloth, creating a tactile surface. The images exhibit a range of visual conditions: some are sharply rendered, others appear blurred, scratched, or overpainted in white, while one panel displays a deliberately rough texture, emphasizing the materiality of the medium.

History & Provenance

Since its creation, the work has remained within institutional holdings, entering the Museum of Modern Art’s collection where it is displayed as part of the museum’s mid‑twentieth‑century photography holdings. No further exhibition history is recorded in the available documentation.

Context

The early 1960s saw artists experimenting with photographic processes beyond conventional print media, integrating them into mixed‑media and conceptual practices. Vaništa’s choice to affix gelatin‑silver prints to fabric aligns with broader explorations of the photograph’s physicality and its relationship to drawing and collage during this period.