Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Michael Harvey Ian Hamilton Finlay. It dates from 1992 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
This drawing shows a simple watering can tipped over, spilling water onto a patch of grass.
This drawing shows a simple watering can tipped over, spilling water onto a patch of grass. The can is plain, with a handle and spout. The grass around it looks tangled, almost like vines. The whole scene is drawn in a loose, sketchy line.
The title says it’s an "18th century line on a watering-can," but it’s actually from 1992. The artist played with old ideas in a new way.
If you like this, check out Ian Hamilton Finlay, Michael Harvey.
Overview
Untitled is an offset lithograph produced in 1992 by the collaborative duo Ian Hamilton Finlay and Michael Harvey. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Rendered in a single-color, the print presents a simple, everyday object rendered with a light, gestural hand.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a watering can tipped on its side, its spout releasing a stream of water onto a patch of tangled grass that resembles vines. The juxtaposition of a domestic tool with a natural, almost chaotic setting invites reflection on the relationship between human control and the unruly growth of the environment.
Technique & Style
Created as an offset lithograph, the piece relies on the lithographic process’s capacity for fluid, sketch‑like lines. The artist’s hand is evident in the loose, spontaneous strokes that outline the can and the surrounding foliage, emphasizing immediacy over precise rendering and allowing the print to retain a drawing‑like quality.
History & Provenance
Although the work bears an inscription suggesting an "18th‑century line on a watering‑can," it was produced in the early 1990s, reflecting a deliberate anachronistic gesture. The print entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation, where it remains on view as part of the institution’s holdings of contemporary printmaking.
Context
Finlay and Harvey often explored the dialogue between historical references and contemporary practice. In this piece, the faux‑historical title functions as a conceptual device, prompting viewers to question the authenticity of artistic narratives and the ways in which past visual vocabularies are re‑appropriated in modern art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Michael Harvey Ian Hamilton Finlay
Michael Harvey Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006) was a British artist.
