Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Miguel Covarrubias. It dates from 1924 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
His tie is straight, his collar has a pocket, and his eyebrows curve like question marks.
This drawing shows a round-faced man in a suit, holding a lit cigar. His tie is straight, his collar has a pocket, and his eyebrows curve like question marks. The colors are simple: pink cheeks, a light beige background, and bold black lines.
The artist signed it in the corner—*"Covarrubias"*—and added the year *1924*. The style looks playful, almost like a cartoon but with careful details.
If you like this, check out The Museum of Modern Art for more works by this artist.
Overview
Created in 1924, this watercolor on paper by Miguel Covarrubias presents a solitary figure rendered with bold contour lines against a light beige field. The composition is compact, focusing on a round‑faced man in formal attire who holds a lit cigar, his eyebrows arched in a questioning shape. The work resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a gentleman in a suit, his tie neatly aligned and a pocketed collar suggesting a formal dress code. The lit cigar and the exaggerated, question‑mark‑like eyebrows introduce a note of humor or satire, hinting at a playful commentary on social conventions or personal demeanor.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor, the piece relies on a limited palette of pink for the cheeks, a muted beige background, and stark black outlines that define the figure. The line work is precise yet fluid, giving the image a cartoon‑like quality while retaining careful attention to facial features and clothing details.
History & Provenance
Signed by Covarrubias in the lower corner with his name and the date 1924, the work entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings at an unspecified later date. Its presence in the museum’s collection situates it among other early twentieth‑century experiments that blend illustration and fine art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Miguel Covarrubias, also known as José Miguel Covarrubias Duclaud, was a Mexican painter, caricaturist, illustrator, ethnologist and art historian.
