Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a graphite painting by the Art Brut artist Morton Livingston Schamberg. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
No symbolic figures or allegorical elements are present; meaning derives from the viewer’s perception of the architectural motif itself.
Untitled depicts a stark set of stairs rendered in graphite, suggesting ascent or transition without explicit narrative. The work’s minimalist composition foregrounds form over representation, inviting contemplation of movement and space. No symbolic figures or allegorical elements are present; meaning derives from the viewer’s perception of the architectural motif itself.
The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as a graphite drawing on paper.
Technique & Style
Created in 1916, this work by Morton Livingston Schamberg is executed in graphite on paper. Although classified as a painting by some records, the physical medium consists of dry drawing material applied to a paper support. The composition depicts a set of stairs, rendered with the precision characteristic of the artist's approach to architectural forms. The sheet measures 18.4 cm in height and 11.7 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Untitled was created by Morton Livingston Schamberg in 1916 as a graphite drawing on paper, and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection under accession number 68.115.3. The work, depicting stairs, has been held by the museum since its acquisition.
Overview
Created in 1916, this graphite drawing by Morton Livingston Schamberg presents a complex arrangement of stairways rendered in stark monochrome. The composition is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is associated with the art brut tendency that values raw, unmediated expression. Schamberg, an American modernist, is noted for integrating industrial motifs into his work during the early twentieth century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Morton Livingston Schamberg (October 15, 1881 – October 13, 1918) was an American modernist painter and photographer.
