Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor print by the Impressionist artist Émile Bernard. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1890, *Untitled* by Émile Bernard is a mixed-media artwork combining two woodcuts with watercolor additions on a single sheet, characteristic of the artist's experimentation during the Post-Impressionist period.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork features a list of 16 names, presumably of artists, in decorative brown font, alongside a sketchy illustration of three geese with flora. The list implies a connection or tribute to contemporaries, while the geese introduce a whimsical contrast.
Technique & Style
Bernard employed woodcut techniques for the base, enhanced with watercolor, reflecting his association with Cloisonnism and Synthetism. The rough, brown illustration and formal typography juxtapose elegance with informality.
History & Provenance
*Untitled* is part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection, underscoring its significance within late 19th-century avant-garde movements, particularly through Bernard's links to Van Gogh and Gauguin.
Context
This work embodies the Post-Impressionist quest for innovative color and form. Bernard's involvement with key figures and movements situates *Untitled* within a broader artistic revolution in France during the late 1800s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Émile Henri Bernard (French pronunciation: ; 28 April 1868 – 16 April 1941) was a French Post-Impressionist painter and writer, who had artistic friendships with Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Eugène Boch, and at a later time, Paul…
