Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a tempera drawing by Lee Mullican. It dates from 1950 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The overall effect is a dense, abstract visual field without a recognizable narrative.
Created in 1950, this untitled drawing combines tempera paint with pencil on paper. The composition is dominated by a bright yellow field punctuated by an array of geometric and organic shapes—some reminiscent of floral forms, others suggesting eyes—interlaced with a network of thin and thick lines, many of which are dotted or dashed. The overall effect is a dense, abstract visual field without a recognizable narrative.
Subject & Meaning
The work does not depict a specific scene or object; instead it assembles a variety of motifs that interact through rhythm and contrast. The juxtaposition of curvilinear and angular elements, along with the interplay of color—primarily yellow, green, red, and brown—suggests an exploration of visual perception and the tension between order and spontaneity, inviting viewers to construct their own associations.
Technique & Style
Mullican employed tempera, a fast‑drying pigment mixed with a water‑soluble binder, to lay down flat washes of color, while pencil was used for the intricate linear network. The drawing balances opaque pigment with delicate graphite marks, creating layers of translucency. Its abstract vocabulary aligns with mid‑century modernist experiments that emphasized surface, line, and the materiality of the medium.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced during a period when Mullican was a central figure in the Dynaton Movement, a group that coalesced after a 1951 exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Though originally created for private use, the drawing entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of post‑war American abstraction.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lee Mullican (December 2, 1919 – July 8, 1998) was an American painter, curator, and art teacher.
