partly abstract image; cream paper heavily painted with white over black; linear elements in black etched into paint surface--stairstep-like elements, book-like element at bottom center with hand extending from top, curving lines (abstracted bending figure?) in LRQ

%C2%A9 Estate of Louisa Chase

Untitled, 1979

expand_more

Oil on paperexpand_more

Gift of Donald McNeil and Emily Galushaexpand_more  2014.125.1

Not on Viewexpand_more

In this oil and brush drawing by Louisa Chase, meaning is derived through the subjective response of the viewer. Painted in monochrome, the drawing combines elements of expressive, gestural abstraction with symbolic representations. It functions as a pictorial metaphor for the artist’s own state of mind. The scene’s simplified imagery features forms that recall books or folding maps, along with a fragmentary human figure—headless, handless, footless—that appears to float, untethered within an enigmatic, dreamlike setting. Though its meaning is fluid, the drawing emanates an inescapable sense of discomfort.

file_downloadprintshare
arrow_back home
Details
Title
Untitled
Artist Life
American (born Panama), 1951–2016
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2014.125.1
Provenance
(Robert Miller Gallery, New York); Donald McNeil & Emily Galusha, Minneapolis; given to MIA, 2014.
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

partly abstract image; cream paper heavily painted with white over black; linear elements in black etched into paint surface--stairstep-like elements, book-like element at bottom center with hand extending from top, curving lines (abstracted bending figure?) in LRQ

© Estate of Louisa Chase

Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.