Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Renée Sintenis. It dates from 1936 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1936, this drypoint print by German artist Renée Sintenis depicts a bear cub upright on its hind legs, gazing directly at the viewer. The image balances simplicity with a lively presence, capturing the animal’s natural stance in a compact composition that reflects Sintenis’s affinity for animal subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a young bear, rendered with a sense of immediacy that invites a personal connection. By presenting the cub in an upright, attentive pose, the work emphasizes curiosity and vitality, themes recurrent in Sintenis’s broader oeuvre of animal and figurative studies.
Technique & Style
Executed in drypoint, the print relies on incised lines that hold ink, producing rich, velvety textures and subtle tonal variations. This method allows the artist to model form through fine hatching and deepened shadows, giving the cub’s fur and musculature a tactile quality that enhances depth.
History & Provenance
Renée Sintenis, noted for small animal sculptures, portrait busts, and sport figures, produced this print during her Berlin period. The image later entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of early 20th‑century graphic works.
Context
Sintenis’s graphic practice ran parallel to her sculptural output, including the iconic Berlin Bear design that would become the emblem for the Berlin International Film Festival’s Golden Bear award. The bear motif in this print reflects her ongoing engagement with the symbol of Berlin’s animal emblem.
Artist & collection
Artist
Renée Sintenis, née Renate Alice Sintenis (20 March 1888 – 22 April 1965), also known as Frau Emil R.
