Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Juan Batlle Planas. It dates from 1935 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
This 1935 drawing by Juan Batlle Planas is a pencil work on paper, held in The Museum of Modern Art's collection. It is characteristic of the artist's exploration of complex themes.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a chaotic cluster of nude figures, intertwined and distorted, set against a background featuring a bird on a wire and a building. The scene conveys a sense of turmoil and unease, possibly reflecting the social and political tensions of the artist's time in Argentina.
Technique & Style
Executed solely in pencil, the work showcases the artist's use of dense, cross-hatched lines to create shading and depth. This technique lends the figures a simultaneously realistic and dreamlike quality, underscoring the artist's association with surrealist tendencies.
History & Provenance
Juan Batlle Planas, born in Spain in 1911, spent much of his career in Buenos Aires. His work often captured the sombre mood of Argentina during periods of unrest.
Artist & collection
Artist
Juan Batlle Planas (3 March 1911 in Torroella de Montgrí, Girona, Spain – 8 October 1966 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) was an Argentine painter of Spanish origin belonging to the surrealist school, orienting in later years to romanticism.
