Artwork

Untitled

Untitled, by Wyndham Lewis, watercolor, 1920
Untitled, by Wyndham Lewis, watercolor, 1920

Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Wyndham Lewis. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

About this work

Overview

Untitled (1920) is a pencil and watercolor drawing on paper by Percy Wyndham Lewis, a key figure in the Vorticist movement. The work is characterized by loose, expressive lines and a muted color palette, focusing attention on a central, partially obscured figure.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a man in a wide-brimmed hat and dark coat with a light scarf. His face is notably blurred, with only eyes and nose faintly discernible, suggesting a prioritization of the figure's presence over individual identity.

Technique & Style

Lewis employed quick, loose pencil lines and watery watercolor washes to create a sketch-like immediacy, implying a rapid capture of a moment. The pale background wash further emphasizes the central figure.

History & Provenance

Created in 1920, the drawing is now part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection, reflecting Lewis's multidisciplinary influence as a writer, painter, critic, and co-founder of Vorticism.

Context

Within Lewis's broader oeuvre, which includes editing the Vorticist magazine *Blast* and writing novels, *Untitled* exemplifies the movement's emphasis on dynamic, modernist representation, though its subjectivity and blur contrast with typical Vorticist angularity.

Legacy

As a work by a pivotal modernist, *Untitled* contributes to the historical record of Vorticism's visual experimentation, while its sketch-like quality offers insight into Lewis's creative process.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Wyndham Lewis

Artist

Wyndham Lewis

Percy Wyndham Lewis (18 November 1882 – 7 March 1957) was a Canadian-born British writer, painter and critic.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Museum of Modern Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.