Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an acrylic drawing by Melissa Miller. It dates from 1983 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
The animals don’t look realistic, but they feel like they belong there, as if they’ve always been part of the scene.
You see a big white moon floating over a dark, jagged landscape. A few bright orange shapes—maybe animals—stand out against the deep blues and blacks.
Miller painted this in 1983, when she was living in Texas. The moon isn’t just light; it feels like a quiet presence, almost alive. The animals don’t look realistic, but they feel like they belong there, as if they’ve always been part of the scene.
If you like this, look up *impasto*—the thick, textured way Miller layers her paint.
Overview
Untitled is a 1983 drawing by Melissa Miller, an American artist known for narrative works featuring animals. The work is executed in acrylic on paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a dark, jagged landscape with a prominent white moon and abstracted animal forms in orange, set against deep blues and blacks. The moon is rendered as a quiet, almost animate presence, while the animals appear to be integral to the scene.
Technique & Style
Miller's use of thick, textured paint, known as impasto, adds depth and visual interest to the work. The non-realistic representation of the animals and the emotive handling of the moon contribute to the drawing's distinctive style.
History & Provenance
Created in 1983 while Miller was living in Texas, Untitled is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection. Miller's work gained recognition in the early 1980s, supported by curators who featured her in major exhibitions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Melissa Miller (born 1951) is an American painter who is best known for what Art in America called "raucous allegorical paintings" of animals that balance storytelling, psychological insight and behavioral observation…
