Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Karl Walser. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Created circa 1920, this lithograph on zinc bears no title and incorporates hand‑applied color.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1920, this lithograph on zinc bears no title and incorporates hand‑applied color. The composition presents a small group of five figures rendered in a brisk, sketch‑like manner, set against an unadorned background that concentrates attention on the characters and their interactions.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts a loosely gathered ensemble: a man on the left clutching a bundle of sticks and a small axe, a woman bearing a basket of fruit and vegetables, and three other men in patchwork coats engaged in conversation. The informal arrangement suggests a moment of everyday labor or market activity, captured with immediacy.
Technique & Style
The work combines traditional lithographic printing on zinc with subsequent hand‑coloring, a process that softens the tonal range of the figures’ garments and the fruit. The graphic line work reflects the influence of German Expressionism, evident in its bold contours and dynamic, almost spontaneous, rendering of forms.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced by Swiss artist Karl Walser, who was active as a painter, illustrator, and stage designer. It entered the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of early twentieth‑century prints.
Context
Walser, the elder brother of writer Robert Walser, moved in circles that included Max Beckmann, whose expressionist approach informed Walser’s graphic language. The lithograph exemplifies the period’s interest in merging printmaking with hand‑color to achieve a more painterly effect, aligning with broader modernist experiments in the post‑World War I era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Karl Edmund Walser (April 8, 1877, Teufen - September 28, 1943, Bern) was a Swiss painter, stage designer, illustrator, muralist, and artist.
