Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Robert Rauschenberg. It dates from 1970 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Robert Rauschenberg’s 1970 screenprint, titled Untitled, is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The work assembles fragments of newspaper material into a single, monochrome composition that juxtaposes disparate visual elements—racing horses, a municipal portrait, and a cartographic outline of the United States—within a torn, collage-like field.
Subject & Meaning
The print draws its imagery from everyday media, merging a horse‑race scene, a mayor’s likeness, and a national map. By placing these unrelated subjects side by side, Rauschenberg invites viewers to consider the flux of public information and the way news media fragment and reassemble reality.
Technique & Style
Constructed from cut newspaper clippings, the piece employs a black‑and‑white palette. Rauschenberg adhered the torn edges together, layering headlines and photographs to create a dense, textured surface. The resulting visual tension between order and disorder reflects his broader practice of integrating ordinary objects into fine art.
History & Provenance
Created in 1970, the screenprint entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings shortly after its completion. It remains catalogued under the generic title Untitled, reflecting Rauschenberg’s preference for open‑ended titles that foreground the work’s materiality rather than a prescribed narrative.
Artist & collection
Artist
Milton Ernest "Robert" or "Bob" Rauschenberg was an American painter and multi-media artist, whose work has been associated with numerous mid-20th century art movements including the New York School, Conceptual Art, Pop art, and Neo-Dada.
