Untitled (T1980-K5) - Hans Hartung

A striking abstract composition from 1980 by Hans Hartung, featuring a dense, gestural black column set against a soft, atmospheric blue-grey background.

Hans Hartung, a central figure in the development of European abstraction, produced this work in 1980. The composition reflects his late-career focus on the physical act of mark-making and the interaction between light and shadow. Hartung often utilised unconventional tools, including spray guns and industrial brushes, to manipulate paint across the surface of the canvas. In this piece, a dense, vertical column of black pigment dominates the right side of the frame. The application is aggressive and gestural, with splatters and drips suggesting a rapid, energetic motion. This dark, textured mass contrasts with the surrounding field of muted blue and grey tones. The left side of the canvas features a soft, atmospheric wash, which provides a sense of depth and spatial ambiguity. Hartung’s approach to painting was rooted in the concept of the gesture as a direct expression of the artist's internal state. By the 1980s, his work had become increasingly focused on the tension between controlled, atmospheric backgrounds and violent, spontaneous foreground marks. This specific work demonstrates his mastery of balance, where the weight of the black vertical form is countered by the expansive, ethereal quality of the background. The lack of a traditional subject allows the viewer to focus entirely on the materiality of the paint and the rhythm of the brushwork. This print captures the subtle gradations of the background and the sharp, dark edges of the central gesture, maintaining the integrity of the original acrylic application.