Plate (folio 22) from 10 Origin
Georges Vantongerloo
Belgian, 1886–1965
1942
A linoleum cut in which Vantongerloo reduces forms to stark, calligraphic black shapes that test balance and movement in pure abstraction.
You first notice a handful of bold black fragments—a sweeping hook, a tapered curved spike, and serrated rectangular marks—set against wide pale space so they read like floating musical notes or architectural clues.
The print translates De Stijl and constructivist concerns into a two‑dimensional language, showing how mathematical and sculptural ideas could be expressed as spare, dynamic compositions that advanced mid‑century abstraction.
Medium
Linoleum cut from a portfolio of six linoleum cuts, three woodcuts, and one lithograph
Dimensions
composition (irreg.): 8 3/8 × 5 1/8" (21.2 × 13 cm); page (each): 10 5/8 × 8 1/4" (27 × 21 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Purchase
Accession
616.1949.10
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
