Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Larry Rivers. It dates from 1975 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Its inclusion in The Museum of Modern Art’s collection underscores its significance in the evolution of mixed-media print practices during the 1970s.
Created in 1975, Untitled is one of twelve prints in a portfolio by Larry Rivers that blends lithography and screenprinting, with some elements incorporating collage. The work exemplifies Rivers’ interest in merging figurative subjects with abstract processes, positioning him within the broader postwar American printmaking movement. Its inclusion in The Museum of Modern Art’s collection underscores its significance in the evolution of mixed-media print practices during the 1970s.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a group of anonymous figures gathered around a table, some seated, others standing, all rendered in simplified outlines without facial details. Objects resembling feathers or flowers appear in their hands, suggesting ritual, ceremony, or fleeting gesture. The lack of individual identity invites interpretation as a universal scene, perhaps a moment of quiet communion, emphasizing form and arrangement over narrative specificity.
Technique & Style
Rivers employed layered lithographic and screenprinted lines to define each figure, assigning a distinct color to every outline, creating visual rhythm without shading or texture. The neutral beige background and muted green underlayer allow the bold contours to dominate. Collage elements, present in other portfolio pieces, hint at his interest in material juxtaposition, though this particular work relies on flat, unadorned printing techniques for its clarity.
History & Provenance
The portfolio containing Untitled was produced in 1975 and entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly thereafter. It reflects Rivers’ sustained engagement with printmaking during the 1970s, a period when he increasingly explored the boundaries between painting, drawing, and print. The work’s acquisition by MoMA aligns with the institution’s broader interest in documenting the intersection of Pop art and experimental print media.
Context
In the mid-1970s, Rivers was revisiting figuration after years of abstract experimentation, drawing from his earlier Pop art concerns but with greater formal restraint. His use of multiple print techniques mirrored a broader trend among American artists seeking to expand the possibilities of the medium beyond reproduction. The anonymity of the figures and the emphasis on line connect his work to contemporaneous explorations in minimalism and conceptual drawing.
Legacy
Rivers’ portfolio, including Untitled, contributed to the legitimization of mixed-media printmaking as a serious artistic practice. His integration of collage, layered printing, and figuration influenced later generations of printmakers who sought to challenge the hierarchy between painting and print. The work remains a reference point for artists examining how repetition and variation can generate meaning in serial forms.
Artist & collection
Artist
Larry Rivers (born Yitzroch Loiza Grossberg; August 17, 1923 – August 14, 2002) was an American painter, musician, filmmaker, and occasional actor.
