Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by Susan Rothenberg. It dates from 1984 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1984, this charcoal drawing on gray paper is one of Susan Rothenberg’s smaller-scale works that explore gesture and form through minimal means.
Created in 1984, this charcoal drawing on gray paper is one of Susan Rothenberg’s smaller-scale works that explore gesture and form through minimal means. Unlike her earlier horse motifs, this piece centers on a pair of entwined hands, rendered with dense, layered charcoal that dominates the surface. The gray paper provides a neutral ground, allowing the dark marks to emerge with tactile intensity while leaving much of the composition ambiguous.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts two large, overlapping hands clasped tightly, their fingers interlocked in a gesture that suggests both connection and tension. No facial features or full body are present, shifting focus to the physicality of contact. The hands’ rough, fur-like texture evokes animal qualities, blurring the boundary between human and non-human. The absence of context invites interpretation as a meditation on intimacy, vulnerability, or primal instinct.
Technique & Style
Rothenberg employed heavy charcoal applied with broad, smudged strokes, using scumbling to build dense, granular surfaces. The gray paper remains partially visible, creating contrast and atmospheric depth. Details are deliberately omitted—fingernails, skin texture, or anatomy are suggested rather than defined. The result is a work grounded in materiality, where the physical act of drawing becomes as significant as the image itself.
History & Provenance
The drawing entered the collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, where it is held as part of its ongoing documentation of post-1960s American drawing practices. It reflects Rothenberg’s shift in the mid-1980s from figurative animal imagery toward more abstracted human forms. While not widely exhibited, it remains a key example of her exploration of the body through reduction and texture.
Context
In the 1980s, Rothenberg moved away from the symbolic horses that defined her early career, turning toward more intimate, fragmented figures. This work aligns with broader trends in contemporary drawing that prioritized process, material presence, and emotional resonance over narrative clarity. Her approach resonated with artists questioning traditional representation, favoring raw expression over polished finish.
Legacy
This drawing exemplifies Rothenberg’s influence on a generation of artists who embraced ambiguity and materiality in figurative work. Its emphasis on gesture over detail, and texture over definition, helped redefine the potential of drawing as a medium for psychological and physical inquiry. Though modest in scale, it continues to inform discussions around the body in contemporary art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Susan Charna Rothenberg (January 20, 1945 – May 18, 2020) was an American contemporary painter, printmaker, sculptor, and draughtswoman.
