Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Louise Nevelson. It dates from 1973 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created in 1973, this work belongs to a mixed-media portfolio that combines screenprints, lithographs, a photocopy, and a photograph.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1973, this work belongs to a mixed-media portfolio that combines screenprints, lithographs, a photocopy, and a photograph. The piece is a print that primarily employs black and white tones, punctuated by a narrow band of purple near its lower edge, and features geometric forms such as a large black circle, a jagged-edged rectangle, and a thin white line within the rectangle.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents abstract, architectural shapes arranged in a stark, monochromatic field, inviting viewers to consider the interplay of positive and negative space. The solitary strip of purple introduces a subtle chromatic contrast, suggesting a moment of interruption within an otherwise disciplined visual language.
Technique & Style
The image was produced through screenprinting, a process that forces ink through a stencil to build layered surfaces. After the mechanical printing, the artist applied hand‑added varnish to create a torn‑paper texture, giving the work a tactile, collage‑like quality that distinguishes it from the smoother lithographic pieces in the same portfolio.
History & Provenance
The print is part of a larger series comprising seventeen screenprints, nine lithographs, two hybrid lithograph‑screenprints, a photocopy, and a photograph, all assembled by the artist during the early 1970s. It reflects the period when the creator, an immigrant who began her career in New York’s Art Students League, was expanding her practice beyond large wooden assemblages into two‑dimensional media.
Context
During the 1970s the artist explored interdisciplinary approaches, integrating printmaking with sculptural sensibilities. This work exemplifies that shift, translating the three‑dimensional, assemblage‑based aesthetic of her earlier sculptures into a flat, graphic format while retaining a focus on materiality and surface texture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louise Nevelson (September 23, 1899 – April 17, 1988) was an American sculptor known for her monumental, monochromatic, wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures.
