Artwork

Untitled

Untitled, by Robert Rauschenberg, 2008
Untitled, by Robert Rauschenberg, 2008

Untitled is a print by Robert Rauschenberg. It dates from 2008 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

About this work

Overview

Untitled is a 2008 work by Robert Rauschenberg composed of a series of twelve digital prints, ten of which employ photogravure techniques. The set is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, where it is displayed among the institution’s post‑war American prints.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a rust‑colored, red‑and‑white checkered box mounted on a wheeled cart, positioned before a weathered wooden wall that supports leaning tools. A yellow door labeled “343” occupies the right side, while a small, dark‑blue, watercolor‑like flower appears in the lower left corner, juxtaposing industrial detritus with a delicate hand‑painted element.

Technique & Style

Rauschenberg combines digital imaging with traditional photogravure, a process that transfers photographic tones onto copper plates for intaglio printing. The resulting prints retain the crispness of digital resolution while preserving the tactile grain of the photogravure surface, allowing the rough textures of the box and wall to contrast with the smooth, painted‑look flower.

History & Provenance

Created in 2008, the series entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its completion, reflecting the institution’s ongoing acquisition of Rauschenberg’s later experimental prints. The work remains in the museum’s print and drawing department, accessible to scholars and the public.

Context

Rauschenberg’s later practice frequently explored the intersection of everyday objects and painterly gestures, a concern that emerged in his earlier combines. This series extends that inquiry into the digital realm, using contemporary printing methods to revisit the artist’s long‑standing dialogue between mass‑produced imagery and hand‑crafted detail.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Robert Rauschenberg

Artist

Robert Rauschenberg

Milton Ernest "Robert" or "Bob" Rauschenberg was an American painter and multi-media artist, whose work has been associated with numerous mid-20th century art movements including the New York School, Conceptual Art, Pop art, and Neo-Dada.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Museum of Modern Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.