Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Michael Mazur. It dates from 1964 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1964, this untitled lithograph belongs to a series of fourteen prints produced by American artist Michael Mazur. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is displayed among other mid‑century American prints.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a solitary nude figure bent forward, head lowered and arms extended outward. The posture conveys a palpable tension, suggesting vulnerability or discomfort, while the stark silhouette invites contemplation of the body's relationship to space.
Technique & Style
Executed in black line and shading on a uniform beige ground, the print relies on the contrast between dense marks and untouched paper. Mazur’s use of negative space emphasizes the figure’s outline, creating a visual economy that underscores the complexity of the pose despite the minimal palette.
History & Provenance
The lithograph was issued as part of a limited portfolio of fourteen prints, each exploring variations on the nude form. After its initial release, the work entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it has remained, representing Mazur’s engagement with printmaking during the 1960s.
Context
Produced during a period when American artists were revisiting figurative traditions within modernist frameworks, Mazur’s print reflects contemporary interest in the human body as a site of formal experimentation. The work aligns with mid‑century explorations of line, abstraction, and the expressive potential of lithography.
Artist & collection
Artist
Michael Burton Mazur was an American artist who was described by William Grimes of The New York Times as "a restlessly inventive printmaker, painter, and sculptor."
