“Stop to appreciate this powerful abstract print from 1972, where a radiant orange sun-like form floats above a turbulent, dark landscape, capturing a sense of elemental drama and cosmic balance.”
This vibrant aquatint from 1972, created just two years before the artist's death, presents a bold, two-part composition that was a hallmark of his later career. A fiery orange sphere dominates the upper half, its intense color radiating outwards, almost vibrating against the stark white background. Below it, a turbulent mass of deep red and black forms a contrasting element, suggesting a landscape or perhaps a primal force. The tension between these two distinct zones, one seemingly celestial and the other terrestrial, invites contemplation on fundamental forces. Though abstract, the forms evoke a sense of elemental power, a characteristic exploration in the artist's work from this period, simplifying his imagery to its most impactful forms.
- Artist
- Adolph Gottlieb
- Date
- 1972
- Medium
- Color aquatint on white wove paper
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- Plate: 56.5 × 44.5 cm (22 1/4 × 17 9/16 in.); Sheet: 80 × 60 cm (31 1/2 × 23 5/8 in.)
- Collection
- Photography and Media
- Credit line
- Purchased with funds provided by Zell Family Foundation
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The intense, glowing orange sphere at the top, almost pulsing with energy.
The turbulent, dark mass below, a mix of deep red and black.
The stark contrast between the smooth sphere and the textured lower form.
The way the white paper acts as a vibrant background, not just empty space.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Untitled — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Adolph Gottlieb
1903–1974 · United StatesAdolph Gottlieb, a pioneering Abstract Expressionist, transformed his style after living in the Arizona desert, leading to his iconic 'Pictographs' and 'Bursts'.
More works to explore
Beyond Gottlieb: works from the same years.
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Four Mona Lisas
Andy Warhol · 1978 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
La grande bellezza
Pierre Alechinsky · 1965
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Essai
Sam Francis · 1963 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Impregnazione
Piero Manzoni · 1958
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Alka Seltzer
Roy Lichtenstein · 1966 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Untitled (Pair of Vases)
Keith Haring · 1981 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Captain Joseph Medill Patterson
Ivan Puni · 1962 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Corpse and Mirror II
Jasper Johns · 1974 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Untitled (Brown and Gray)
Mark Rothko · 1969 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Nude under a Pine Tree
Pablo Picasso · 1959 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
The Banquet
René Magritte · 1958 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1950s–1980s
Gonzalez and Shadow
Félix González-Torres · 1972 · Art Institute of Chicago
