Untitled

Untitled

Arthur Deshaies

1953

ink

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This print is all sharp black lines and white spaces, packed tight with swirling shapes. You see tall, jagged figures stacked like towers, their limbs twisted into spirals and circles. The background looks like a storm of scribbled marks, with tiny figures lost in the chaos. Some areas are almost solid black, while others feel hollow, like empty eye sockets. The artist carved these shapes into wood, then inked them to create the print. The lines are so precise they almost buzz with energy. Try looking up engraving to see how this technique works up close.

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