Untitled (from the American Abstract Artists portfolio) - Balcomb Greene

A stark geometric lithograph from the 1937 American Abstract Artists portfolio, featuring bold black forms against a clean white background.

This lithograph by Balcomb Greene originates from the 1937 American Abstract Artists portfolio. The work demonstrates the artist's early engagement with geometric abstraction, a period during which he helped establish the American Abstract Artists group to promote non-representational work in the United States. The composition relies on a stark contrast between solid black shapes and the negative space of the paper. Greene employs clean, sharp lines to define angular forms that suggest architectural or mechanical structures. The arrangement of these shapes creates a sense of tension, as the heavy black masses appear to press against the boundaries of the white field. Greene was a founding member of the American Abstract Artists, an organisation formed to provide a platform for artists working in abstract modes during a time when realism dominated the American art scene. His approach in this print reflects the group's interest in the formal properties of art, such as balance, proportion, and the relationship between figure and ground. The work avoids narrative or representational content, focusing instead on the interplay of geometric volumes. The simplicity of the design allows the viewer to observe the precision of the printmaking process and the deliberate placement of each element. This piece represents a specific moment in the history of American modernism, capturing the rigorous intellectual approach that defined Greene's early career. The print is a clear example of the aesthetic goals of the 1930s avant-garde, where the reduction of form to its essential components was a primary objective for many practitioners.