Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by James Strombotne. It dates from 1968 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The image presents three vertically aligned vignettes: a kiss, a woman holding grapes, and a slow dance.
Created in 1968, this lithograph is one of twelve works in a portfolio by James Strombotne. It is part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The image presents three vertically aligned vignettes: a kiss, a woman holding grapes, and a slow dance.
To the right, a stark black cross appears alongside the word 'RECOGNITIONS' above and the artist’s signature below, introducing a formal, almost ritualistic element to the otherwise intimate scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The three scenes depict quiet, personal moments, affection, contemplation, and connection, rendered with minimal detail. Their simplicity suggests universality, yet the presence of the cross disrupts the narrative, introducing a tone of solemnity or critique. The word 'RECOGNITIONS' may imply acknowledgment, perhaps of human vulnerability or the act of seeing itself, contrasting the spontaneity of the images with a structured, almost institutional framing.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the print relies on the tonal range and fluid line quality possible with stone-based printing. Strombotne uses flat, unmodulated shapes and sharp contrasts, particularly in the bold black cross. The figures are rendered with restrained detail, emphasizing gesture over realism.
The composition’s verticality and the placement of the cross create a deliberate tension between narrative and symbolic form.
History & Provenance
The work was produced in 1968 as part of a limited portfolio of twelve lithographs. It entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, likely through acquisition or donation. No public record indicates prior ownership or exhibition history beyond its inclusion in the portfolio and its subsequent institutional custody, suggesting a modest but intentional circulation within contemporary print circles.
Context
Emerging during a period of social upheaval in the late 1960s, Strombotne’s work reflects a quiet counterpoint to the era’s louder political art. While contemporaries engaged in overt activism, he focused on intimate human gestures, possibly as a form of resistance through stillness. The cross and inscription may reference religious iconography or institutional critique, aligning with broader artistic inquiries into meaning and representation at the time.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited outside institutional collections, this lithograph remains a quiet example of postwar American printmaking that balances narrative restraint with symbolic weight. Its inclusion in MoMA’s holdings ensures its presence in scholarly discussions of 1960s print portfolios. Strombotne’s approach, subtle, personal, and formally precise, continues to inform artists interested in the emotional potential of everyday imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
James S. Strombotne is an American painter. He is known for his figurative work.
