Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Philip Guston. It dates from 1955 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
The face is simple—just a few strokes for the eyes, nose, and mouth—while the hair is a wavy mass at the top.
This sketch shows a side view of a head and neck, drawn in loose, quick pencil lines. The face is simple—just a few strokes for the eyes, nose, and mouth—while the hair is a wavy mass at the top. The collar of a shirt is dark and sharp, cutting across the neck.
The artist signed it in the corners, one with a date: 1955. The lines are uneven, almost like scribbles, but still feel intentional.
If you like this sketchy style, look up cross-hatching next.
Overview
Philip Guston’s 1955 drawing, titled Untitled, is executed in pencil on paper and resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The work presents a side profile of a head and neck rendered with swift, gestural strokes. A dark, sharply defined collar bisects the neck, while the hair appears as a loose, wavy mass above the head.
Subject & Meaning
The composition isolates a single figure’s profile, reducing facial features to minimal marks that suggest eyes, nose, and mouth. By abstracting the human form to essential lines, the drawing invites contemplation of identity and presence without narrative detail, emphasizing the act of seeing rather than telling a specific story.
Technique & Style
Guston employs loose, uneven pencil lines that verge on scribble yet retain deliberate intent. The sketchy quality is balanced by the crisp, dark rendering of the shirt collar, creating a contrast between spontaneous gesture and controlled definition. The overall approach reflects a mid‑century interest in expressive drawing and the immediacy of mark‑making.
History & Provenance
Created in 1955, the drawing bears the artist’s signature and date in its corners, confirming its authorship. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings as part of the institution’s effort to document Guston’s early work, situating the piece within the broader trajectory of his career before his later shift to figurative painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Philip Guston was a Canadian and American painter, printmaker, muralist and draftsman.
