Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite drawing by Louis Eilshemius. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1915, this pencil drawing on brown paper is attributed to American artist Louis Michel Eilshemius, whose oeuvre includes landscapes, nudes, and occasional literary and musical pursuits. The work is part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art, where it is catalogued without a formal title.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a solitary, elongated tower with modest windows and a flat roof, flanked by leaning palm silhouettes. A low stone wall outlines the base, while a rough path leads to two diminutive figures—interpreted as goats—standing near the foreground. The scene suggests a quiet, perhaps imagined, landscape rather than a specific locale.
Technique & Style
Executed with rapid, gestural pencil strokes, the drawing emphasizes line over surface. Cross‑hatching creates tonal variation, especially in the tower’s shadowed planes, while the brown paper provides a muted ground that heightens the contrast of the graphite marks. The overall effect is sketch‑like, conveying immediacy rather than refined finish.
History & Provenance
The piece entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings through acquisition in the mid‑20th century, though precise details of its earlier ownership remain undocumented. Its inclusion reflects MoMA’s interest in early 20th‑century American drawing and the broader range of Eilshemius’s output beyond his painted works.
Context
Eilshemius worked during a period when American art was negotiating between academic traditions and emerging modernist tendencies.
Eilshemius worked during a period when American art was negotiating between academic traditions and emerging modernist tendencies. While primarily recognized for his painted landscapes and figure studies, this drawing illustrates his willingness to explore architectural motifs and informal, spontaneous drawing methods, aligning with contemporary interests in draftsmanship as a means of artistic experimentation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louis Michel Eilshemius (February 4, 1864 – December 29, 1941) was an American painter, primarily of landscapes and nudes. He also wrote musical compositions, verse, novels, short stories, and published periodicals.
