Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Lee Krasner. It dates from 1967 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Lee Krasner’s Untitled, created in 1967, consists of gouache applied to two adjoining sheets of acetate. The work presents a field of dark brown pigments that appear as splatters, streaks and smudges against a translucent background. The two sheets are fastened together, leaving a visible seam where the plastic panels meet, emphasizing the piece’s material construction.
Subject & Meaning
The composition contains no representational subject; instead it foregrounds the physicality of the medium itself. By allowing the gouache to spread and pool, Krasner invites viewers to consider the accidental and gestural qualities of paint, focusing attention on color, texture, and the interplay of opaque and transparent surfaces.
Technique & Style
Krasnan’s approach is rapid and improvisational, employing loose, almost scribal gestures that resemble accidental marks. The gouache, a water‑based pigment, is laid on clear acetate, creating a contrast between the dense brown areas and the luminous substrate. The work reflects her long‑standing engagement with abstract expressionist concerns for spontaneity and materiality.
History & Provenance
Born in 1908, Krasner studied at Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design before absorbing Cubist ideas during her time with Hans Hofmann in the 1930s. By the 1960s she was an established figure in American abstract expressionism, and Untitled was produced during a period when she experimented with non‑traditional supports such as acetate.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lenore "Lee" Krasner (born Lena Krassner; October 27, 1908 – June 19, 1984) was an American painter and visual artist active primarily in New York whose work has been associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement.
