Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Wyndham Lewis. It dates from 1938 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Shapes are fragmented and overlapping, generating depth and layering, while bold black lines add energy and dynamism, conveying tension and movement.
Untitled, created by Percy Wyndham Lewis around 1938, is a mixed-media drawing combining gouache, watercolor, pencil, and ink on paper. Characterized by a bold, abstract composition, it features geometric shapes and lines in a predominantly black, white, and yellow palette with blue and red accents. Shapes are fragmented and overlapping, generating depth and layering, while bold black lines add energy and dynamism, conveying tension and movement.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of *Untitled* is abstract, focusing on geometric forms and spatial relationships. The work embodies Lewis's exploration of modernist visual experimentation, reflecting his Vorticist ideals of dynamic energy and fragmentation.
Technique & Style
Lewis employed a multi-media approach, layering gouache, watercolor, pencil, and ink to achieve textured, expressive effects. The dominant use of black lines to define shapes, set against a limited color palette, creates visual tension and emphasizes geometric abstraction.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1938 by Percy Wyndham Lewis, a key figure in the Vorticist movement and editor of *Blast* magazine, *Untitled* is now part of The Museum of Modern Art's collection.
Context
*Untitled* was produced during a period of modernist innovation in art. As a Vorticist co-founder, Lewis's work was influenced by the movement's emphasis on dynamism, geometric forms, and the intersection of art and literature.
Legacy
While *Untitled* specifically may not be widely recognized beyond its collection, it contributes to the broader legacy of Vorticist experimentation and Lewis's multifaceted career spanning literature and visual arts.
Artist & collection
Artist
Percy Wyndham Lewis (18 November 1882 – 7 March 1957) was a Canadian-born British writer, painter and critic.
