Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a tempera drawing by Edward Steichen. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Though best known for his editorial and fashion imagery, Steichen explored pictorial expression through simpler, more symbolic media during this period.
Created in 1915, this drawing by Edward Steichen combines ink and tempera on cardboard, reflecting his experimental approach beyond photography. Though best known for his editorial and fashion imagery, Steichen explored pictorial expression through simpler, more symbolic media during this period. The work is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection, representing a lesser-known facet of his artistic practice.
Subject & Meaning
A rooster, rendered in stark white and black, stands beside two vertical, abstract forms resembling towers or poles. The bird, a traditional symbol of vigilance or renewal, is marked with the number '75,' possibly indicating a date, sequence, or personal reference. The ambiguous structures suggest urban or industrial elements, creating a quiet tension between nature and structure, though no definitive narrative is established.
Technique & Style
Steichen employed thick, confident outlines and flat, unmodulated color areas, typical of early 20th-century modernist simplification. Tempera, made with egg yolk, provided a matte, durable finish, while ink defined sharp contours. The sandy background, lightly textured with brushstrokes, adds subtle depth without detail, emphasizing the bold, graphic quality of the central forms.
History & Provenance
The work was produced during a transitional phase in Steichen’s career, before his prominent role at Vogue and Vanity Fair. It remained in private hands until acquired by The Museum of Modern Art, where it entered the collection as part of a broader effort to document the artist’s multidisciplinary output. The signature 'Ecoq Gaulois', French for 'Gallic Rooster', hints at personal or national symbolism.
Context
In 1915, European modernism was reshaping visual language, and American artists like Steichen were engaging with abstraction and symbolic form. Though photography dominated his public identity, this drawing aligns with contemporaneous experiments in simplification, seen in works by artists such as Marsden Hartley and Arthur Dove, who also reduced subjects to essential shapes.
Legacy
This drawing illustrates Steichen’s willingness to move between media and modes of expression. While not widely exhibited, it contributes to understanding his artistic range beyond commercial photography. Its presence in MoMA’s collection affirms the value of such intimate, non-commercial works in tracing the evolution of modern American art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edward Jean Steichen (Luxembourgish:; March 27, 1879 – March 25, 1973) was a Luxembourgish American photographer, painter and curator and a pioneer of fashion photography.
