Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by Raúl Anguiano. It dates from 1942 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Executed as a single‑sheet print, the work employs stark black‑and‑white imagery to convey a socio‑political message.
Raúl Anguiano’s 1942 linoleum cut, untitled, is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s print collection. Executed as a single‑sheet print, the work employs stark black‑and‑white imagery to convey a socio‑political message. Its composition is dominated by a ladder and a table on which a corpulent, suited cat bearing the caption “Acaparadores” presides over a chaotic scene of figures, animals, and protest‑like text.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure—a smug, well‑dressed cat labeled “Acaparadores”—symbolizes middlemen who inflate prices, a grievance voiced by the surrounding crowd. Workers in wide‑brimmed hats stretch toward the cat, while a dog and a donkey observe, underscoring the exploitation of both urban and rural laborers. The accompanying text, rendered in an angry tone, directly condemns the profiteering practices that burden farmers and city dwellers alike.
Technique & Style
Anguiano’s linoleum cut relies on bold, simplified shapes and high‑contrast chiaroscuro to heighten visual impact. The carving emphasizes stark outlines and flat areas of black, creating a graphic, almost cartoonish aesthetic. This reduction of detail serves the propagandistic intent, allowing the narrative to be read quickly and the emotional charge of the scene to be felt immediately.
History & Provenance
Created in 1942, the print reflects the wartime economic anxieties of Mexico. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection through a mid‑20th‑century acquisition program focused on socially engaged printmaking. The work has remained in MoMA’s holdings, where it is occasionally displayed in exhibitions exploring political art and Mexican modernism.
Context
The piece emerges from a period when Mexican artists frequently addressed class struggle and economic injustice. Anguiano, known for his depictions of everyday life, aligns with contemporaries who used print media to reach broader audiences. The term “acaparadores” was a common pejorative for speculators, making the work a direct commentary on the domestic market conditions of the early 1940s.
Artist & collection
