Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Valerie Jaudon. It dates from 1981 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1981, this untitled print combines etching, aquatint, gold leaf and varnish to produce a complex surface. The composition is dominated by a dense network of fine black lines that intersect like a mesh, punctuated by luminous gold areas and occasional red and black shapes that hover within the grid.
Subject & Meaning
The work explores the tension between decorative ornament and abstract structure, using the gold leaf not merely as embellishment but as a light‑reflective element that suggests an inner illumination behind the linear framework.
Technique & Style
Jaudon employed a multilayered process: lines were incised into a metal plate for the etching, tonal fields were built up through aquatint, and sheets of gold leaf were pressed onto the paper, then fixed with varnish. This combination yields a surface that merges the precision of printmaking with the tactile quality of metalwork.
History & Provenance
The piece belongs to the period when Jaudon, associated with the Pattern and Decoration movement, was investigating new directions in abstraction. It was produced in the United States and has been exhibited in several shows focusing on post‑minimalist and decorative trends in contemporary art.
Context
During the early 1980s, artists linked to Pattern and Decoration sought to legitimize ornamental motifs within fine art. Jaudon's print reflects this dialogue, aligning decorative richness with the formal concerns of abstract printmaking.
Artist & collection
Artist
Valerie Jaudon (born August 6, 1945) is an American painter commonly associated with various Postminimal practices – the Pattern and Decoration movement of the 1970s, site-specific public art, and new tendencies in abstraction.
