Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Sylvia Plimack Mangold. It dates from 1974 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The work presents a series of light‑toned wooden planks arranged horizontally, their grain and occasional knots rendered with meticulous clarity.
Created in 1974, *Untitled* is a lithographic print by American artist Sylvia Plimack Mangold (born 1938). The work presents a series of light‑toned wooden planks arranged horizontally, their grain and occasional knots rendered with meticulous clarity. Three small, empty rectangles interrupt the repetitive pattern, introducing a subtle visual break. The piece belongs to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition isolates a mundane material—wooden planks—and treats it as a formal study of surface and space. By excising three rectangular voids, Mangold draws attention to the tension between continuity and interruption, inviting viewers to contemplate how ordinary textures acquire significance through precise arrangement.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the image was produced by drawing on a flat stone or metal plate and transferring the design onto paper through a printing process. Mangold’s approach is restrained and exacting, emphasizing the tactile qualities of the wood grain and the rhythmic repetition of the planks while maintaining a clean, uncluttered visual field.
History & Provenance
After its completion in 1974, the lithograph entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects MoMA’s interest in Mangold’s exploration of representational detail within print media during the 1970s.
Context
*Untitled* aligns with Mangold’s broader oeuvre, which frequently investigates interior and landscape spaces through a focus on light, perspective, and material surface. The work exemplifies her shift in the early 1970s toward a more analytical, almost photographic rendering of everyday environments, a hallmark of her representational practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sylvia Plimack Mangold (born 1938) is an American artist, painter, printmaker, and pastelist. She is known for her representational depictions of interiors and landscapes.
