Untitled
1938
gouache
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
1938
gouache
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
This painting is a wild mix of shapes and colors. Buildings, flags, and letters like "C" and "R" are chopped up and stacked together. Bright reds, blues, and yellows clash with black lines and flat colors. It looks like a cityscape exploded and then glued back together in a new way. The artist used a soft, flat style—no shadows or depth. Instead of realism, everything is bold and simplified, almost like a puzzle. The Swedish flag in the corner stands out as one of the few clear shapes. Next, check out gouache to see how this matte, water-based paint works.