Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a print by Russian Book Collection. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1918, this untitled letterpress piece originates from the Russian Book Collection and is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings. The work consists of a single printed page, its surface bearing the warm, tan hue typical of early twentieth‑century paper.
Subject & Meaning
The page presents a fragment of a book’s interior, displaying a mixture of Russian text and what appears to be a table of contents. Titles and brief descriptions are listed in a formal typeface, with occasional underlining and italics that suggest emphasis within an academic or literary context.
Technique & Style
Executed by letterpress, the image shows the imprint of raised type pressed into the paper, creating crisp, uniform characters. The uneven, rough edge at the top contrasts with the smoother lower margin, hinting at the manual handling of the sheet during printing or later trimming.
History & Provenance
The work dates to the turbulent period following the Russian Revolution, a time when printing practices were both traditional and experimental. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection as part of its broader acquisition of early modern Russian printed material, preserving a tangible example of the era’s graphic culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
This artist created small, precise prints and pages in the early 1900s, mostly book-related designs like the 1916 lithograph on your screen and a 1918 letterpress piece.
