Untitled

1952
136.0 x 173.0 cm

Soon after it was made, this celebrated canvas was shown at the Whitney Museum Annual, and thereafter in almost every retrospective of Kline’s work. During his day, and for long after, Kline was considered a pre-eminent action painter, a key member of the New York School of Abstract Expressionism. This painting, with its bold strokes of black enamel painted with a house-painter’s brush, epitomizes that style. As the critic Paul Brach wrote: “Painting, drawing and writing; the structure and its meaning; the symbol and the physical fact—are all united in a single gesture. And though it is deceptively spontaneous in appearance, that gesture is the millionth try—the final effort with all its failures behind it.” Yet, despite the rhetoric, Kline always worked from small studies, he always made considerable revisions to his canvas, and his art is therefore anything but spontaneous. He painted this work on a window shade.

Questions & Answers

Can I see "Untitled" by Franz Kline under different lights?

The X-Ray page of "Untitled" by Franz Kline is an interactive viewer that lets you slide through eleven optical layers of the artwork's image, including an X-ray style view.

Who made "Untitled", and when?

Franz Kline made "Untitled" in 1952.

Is there a factsheet about "Untitled" by Franz Kline for students?

The guide to "Untitled" is the artwork's Guide page - a printable factsheet showing the artwork with its caption, credit line and identity table (artist, dates, medium, original size, collection).

By the TopImpressionists.com Editorial Team

Franz Kline (1910 – 1962)

Franz Kline (1910-1962): Pioneer of Abstract Expressionism renowned for dynamic black brushstrokes & powerful action paintings. Explore his legacy!

About this artwork

Title: Untitled
Artist: Franz Kline
Year: 1952
Original dimensions: 136.0 x 173.0 cm
Format: Landscape
Copyright status: Under copyright
Main color: Black
Perceived brightness: shadow