Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Richard Diebenkorn. It dates from 1977 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1977, this untitled work combines synthetic polymer paint, gouache, watercolor, cut‑and‑pasted paper, and pencil on a paper support.
Created in 1977, this untitled work combines synthetic polymer paint, gouache, watercolor, cut‑and‑pasted paper, and pencil on a paper support. The composition is non‑representational, arranging blocks of blue and red alongside expansive white areas, intersected by thin, linear marks that suggest a loose grid. The paper’s edges appear torn and reassembled, giving the surface a layered, tactile quality.
Subject & Meaning
The piece does not depict a recognizable scene; instead it explores the interaction of color, form, and surface. The juxtaposition of bold stripes with open space invites contemplation of balance and tension, while the fragmented edges hint at a process of construction and deconstruction, emphasizing the materiality of the work itself.
Technique & Style
Diebenkorn employed a mixed‑media approach, layering polymer paint and gouache over watercolor washes, then adhering cut pieces of paper before adding pencil lines. This combination yields both smooth, saturated areas and rough, textured edges. The overall aesthetic aligns with his late‑career shift toward lyrical geometric abstraction, where precise shapes coexist with gestural marks.
History & Provenance
The drawing was produced during the artist’s mature period, following his transition from abstract expressionism and figurative painting to the more structured, yet lyrical, abstractions of the 1970s. It entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of post‑war American art.
Context
In the late 1960s Diebenkorn began a series of works that merged the spontaneity of his earlier practice with a disciplined, geometric vocabulary, exemplified by the Ocean Park paintings. This untitled piece reflects that synthesis, situating it within a broader movement toward hybrid abstraction that blended painterly gesture with compositional rigor.
Artist & collection
Artist
Richard Diebenkorn (April 22, 1922 – March 30, 1993) was an American painter and printmaker.
