Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Colleen Browning in 1975.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Museum of Modern Art.

Untitled by Colleen Browning (1975) · Meaning & Museum

About this work

Overview

Each portrait is set against a distinct background of fabric patterns, specifically utilizing red, white, and blue stripes or fields of stars on dark grounds.

Created in 1975, Colleen Browning's Untitled is a lithograph produced as part of a portfolio containing six lithographs, four screenprints, and two mixed-media works. The composition features a rhythmic arrangement of human faces aligned in rows, characterized by a deliberate variation in focus where some figures appear sharp while others are blurred. Each portrait is set against a distinct background of fabric patterns, specifically utilizing red, white, and blue stripes or fields of stars on dark grounds.

This juxtaposition of individualized human expressions with iconic American textile motifs creates a visual dialogue between personal identity and national symbolism. The work employs bold, flat colors and varied skin tones, with subjects oriented both frontally and in profile. Produced during the mid-1970s, a period when Browning frequently explored themes of the human condition and social observation, this print reflects her commitment to figurative realism within the printmaking medium.

The piece stands as a significant example of her graphic output, demonstrating her ability to integrate complex social commentary with formal experimentation in lithography.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a series of human faces arranged in rows, each juxtaposed with a swath of patterned fabric. Some portraits appear sharply defined, while others are intentionally blurred, suggesting a spectrum of identity and presence. The background fabrics echo national symbols, red, white and blue stripes and star‑filled fields, yet they function more as abstracted motifs than literal flags, prompting reflection on the interplay between individual likenesses and collective iconography.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the piece employs the traditional stone‑or‑metal printing process, allowing for both crisp lines and subtle tonal variations. The artist integrates collage‑like elements by overlaying printed patterns that resemble fabric textures, blurring the boundary between pure printmaking and mixed media. The bold color palette and repetitive arrangement underscore a modernist concern with seriality and visual rhythm.

History & Provenance

Colleen Browning produced this work during a prolific period in the mid‑1970s, contributing it to a multi‑format portfolio that explored the dialogue between lithography and screenprinting. The Museum of Modern Art acquired the print, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings, representing both the artist’s printmaking practice and the broader experimentation with hybrid techniques of the era.