Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Yasuo Kuniyoshi. It dates from 1938 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1938, this untitled lithograph by Yasuo Kuniyoshi is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Executed in the printmaking medium of lithography, the work presents a stark, monochromatic scene rendered with swift, gestural lines.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts two figures lying on their backs in an open field. One figure is fully clothed and appears motionless, while the other is partially covered by a sheet, arms splayed outward. The composition suggests a tension between stillness and an implied disturbance, hinted at by the restless surrounding marks.
Technique & Style
Kuniyoshi employs loose, rapid strokes that convey a sense of movement despite the static poses of the figures. The contrast between the illuminated edge of the sheet and the darker surrounding forms is achieved through careful tonal variation, a hallmark of lithographic practice.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in the late 1930s, a period when Kuniyoshi was active in American modernist circles. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s print and drawing department.
Context
Lithography, a planographic process allowing for fluid, expressive lines, was a favored medium among artists seeking immediacy in the 1930s. Kuniyoshi’s use of the technique aligns with contemporary explorations of abstraction and the human figure within a landscape.
Artist & collection
Artist
Yasuo Kuniyoshi was a Japanese-American painter, photographer and printmaker.
