Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Marisol. It dates from 1964 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1964, this lithograph by Marisol is one of several prints produced during a period of growing international attention.
Created in 1964, this lithograph by Marisol is one of several prints produced during a period of growing international attention. Made in New York, where she had been based since the 1950s, the work reflects her engagement with printmaking alongside her more widely known sculptural practice. The image is held in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, underscoring its place within mid-century American art.
Subject & Meaning
The figure depicted is abstracted and ambiguous, rendered with minimal detail and a sense of movement. A raised arm and a single high heel suggest a fleeting gesture, perhaps of motion or self-presentation. The blurred edges and reduced form evoke anonymity, inviting interpretation without fixed narrative. The work avoids literal representation, instead focusing on the impression of presence.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image relies on the chemical repulsion between grease and water to transfer the artist’s drawing onto stone and then paper. Marisol’s hand appears immediate and unpolished, with loose, gestural lines that capture a sense of spontaneity. The tonal gradation from dark to light suggests atmospheric depth, achieved through the nuanced application of lithographic crayon.
History & Provenance
The print was made during a phase when Marisol was gaining recognition in New York’s art scene, alongside peers in Pop and Conceptual art. It entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection in the decades following its creation, reflecting institutional interest in her multidisciplinary practice. No earlier ownership records are publicly documented, suggesting direct acquisition from the artist or her gallery.
Context
In the early 1960s, Marisol was known for sculptural assemblages that critiqued social roles through figurative satire. This lithograph, though quieter in tone, shares that interest in identity and performance. It aligns with broader artistic explorations of the body and gesture in postwar American art, where spontaneity and ambiguity offered alternatives to rigid formalism.
Legacy
While less discussed than her sculptures, this lithograph contributes to understanding Marisol’s range as an artist. Its inclusion in MoMA’s collection ensures its visibility within narratives of 1960s printmaking and feminist art. The work’s understated quality invites reconsideration of her contributions beyond the sculptural objects for which she is best known.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marisol Escobar (May 22, 1930 – April 30, 2016), otherwise known simply as Marisol, was a Venezuelan-American sculptor born in Paris, who lived and worked in New York City.
