Untitled

Untitled

David Smith

1953

gouache

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This painting shows five tall, skinny figures standing side by side. They’re made of bold black lines and shapes, some with strange, rounded heads or hats. Their arms and legs stretch out in odd angles, and a few hold objects like lamps or tools. The background is a pale yellow, keeping the focus on the dark figures. Notice how the figures don’t look quite real—they’re simplified, almost like sketches. The artist used ink and gouache, a type of paint that lets colors blend smoothly. Look up gouache to see how it works in other art.

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