Untitled

Untitled

Arshile Gorky

1932

graphite

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This sketch shows two blurred, tangled figures wrapped around each other. Their shapes melt into the background, with only faint outlines separating arms, heads, and clothes. A few loose lines float nearby—like a hat or a lost object—while the whole scene sits on a plain, light-colored paper. The drawing feels like a fast, messy thought captured on paper. The artist used only pencil, letting smudges and light strokes create the forms instead of sharp details. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shapes with layered lines.

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