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Part of: Spooky UMMA (35 resources )
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Spooky UMMA

Copyright
All Rights Reserved
Created by
Alexandra Carey
Last Updated
May 25, 2022 4:20 p.m.

35 Items in this Learning Collection
Le pinchet noir et la tête de mort (Black Pitcher and Death's Hand)

Collection Object
Paper Collage with Slide Projection
This sculptural mixed-media consists of three long, narrow panels supporting plexiglass elements. The first has transparent plexiglass with brown geometric shapes on it as well as broken glass or plexiglass rods, and painted blue, green, and red dashed lines on the plexiglass. The second, shorter panel is black and glossy with six black matte squares on it. Red, orange, green, and blue abstract shapes are layered underneath the squares. The third, narrower, panel is transparent with eight square sections, some covered with an opaque material. There are also abstract designs that are primarily black, with some green and orange.
Collection Object
Le Poisson
This color lithograph shows an orange fish encased in a wide halo of blue ink which is, in turn, encased in a border of purple ink, with light grey showing through from behind the purple and blue. On the left is a gridded orange circular shape encased in the same borders. 
Collection Object
Calavera Maderista
A figure of a skeleton wearing a hat, scarf, pants and sandals walking towards the left side of the image. He has a mustache and carries a bottle.
Collection Object
Ah Puch
Bust of a figure from the chest up in three-quarters pose. The head, or perhaps a mask, is white, resembling a skull with a halo of white hair. The neck is dark brown with two white bands like chokers around it, perhaps securing the mask. The figure wears a dark red garment that is trimmed in ornate lace in white and gold. The background is a deep teal green-blue.
Collection Object
Sunset Corner
A vast surface of orange yields in the very bottom of the painting to a swath of yellow, under which there is a line of white and green, and under that a thin black line.
Collection Object
Number 3, from "Numbers"
The number "3" in orange in a blue circle with a green background; the word "THREE" written bottom center.
Collection Object
Male Twin Figure
Standing male figure on a round base with hands at the sides. Around the waist are two strings of black and blue beads, a  string of round, orange beads around the neck, as well as a geometric pattern on the abdomen and brass around the ankles. On each cheek are four horizontal grooves topped by three vertical grooves and three vertical grooves. The pupils are metal and the hair is in a conical shape with a small knob and coated in blue pigment. 
Collection Object
Articulation: Formulation
Two rectangles are on a long, horizontal white piece of paper, with rectangles embedded in them in blues, oranges and purples.
Collection Object
The Underworld
This print shows a chaotic scene with a white skeleton in the center. In the upper left, there are a series of sea creatures, including a grey colored shark, pink colored squids and two octopuses in shades of orange. At the bottom of the print, the skeleton is surrounded by a large lizard, skulls, and other figures. A moon and stars are in the upper left corner. The print is signed (l.r.) "Underground Ann McCoy" and numbered "18/100" in red pencil.
Collection Object
Pot
A squat, gracefully rounded pot with a mouth that is slightly smaller than the widest circumference of the pot, and a tapered base. The interior is colored white (slip). There is a band of black along the rim. The exterior is decorated with a checkerboard-like pattern of alternating rectangles of two designs: brownish-orange divided vertically by a white stripe broken by three thin black lines and white squares divided diagonally with wave-like black shapes.
Collection Object
Articulation: Formulation
On a long white horizontal piece of paper are two rectangles, the one on the left is larger and the on the right, smaller. On the left rectangle are orange, white and black vertical and horizontal stripes. On the right rectangle there are black, white and grey stripes. 
Collection Object
Articulation: Formulation
On a long horizontal white piece of paper two brown-maroon rectangles sit. Each has a series of rectangles within it with a squared U-shape sitting on the bottom edge of the nested rectangles. The colors are dark yellows, reds, oranges, and some blue. 
Collection Object
Sunflower III
This abstract print has a large dark red and black circular form in the top half of the frame and a large orange and red circular form in lower half.  Black splotches and expressive lines dominate and overlap much of the image.
Collection Object
October
This abstract color lithograph is made up of swirling lines and patterns of white, black, orange, pink and green inks. These forms make up an all-over image and appear similar to splatters or drips of ink. The print is signed and dated (l.r.) "Tobey 1970" and editioned (l.l.) "19/200" in pencil.
Collection Object
Tile with Hopi Thunderbird
Red orange rectangular tile with a thin black line border and black Thunderbird design.
Collection Object
Children of Niobe
This color lithograph has an abstract composition of thin lines, all about the same width, in red, orange, green, and black. The print is numbered (l.l.) "79/250", titled (l.c.) "Children of Niobe", and signed and dated (l.r.) "S W Hayter 54" in pencil.
Collection Object
Abstrakte Komposition
A spare and restrained abstract composition is built up out of layers of mostly translucent basic geometric forms. The grey tones of the background are created with large rectangle shapes. In the upper part of the piece is a light colored circle, with a brighter circle inside it. Both are crossed by an axis of bright, thin orange lines. On the left, the point of a triangle protrudes from the edge. It is covered by a faint gray trapezoidal shape. Three small black semi-circles are also visible: one along the lines inside the circles; the other two along the trapezoidal shape and just beneath the triangle.
Collection Object
Day of All Dead

Collection Object
Underworld
This hand colored lithograph shows a chaotic scene with three, masked figures at the lower left surrounded by a variety of sea creatures: squids, octopusus, sharks and turtles. 
Collection Object
Bleeding Skull

Collection Object
Miserere. Pl. 54. 'Debout les morts!' 'Arise, ye dead!'

Collection Object
Dark Horizon

Collection Object
The Traghetto, No. 2, One of the 'Twelve Etchings,' or the 'First Venice Set'
A dark passageway dominates the middle and left portions of the composition; to the right is a group of men seated outside at a table. The passageway has a view at the far end of a man seated while a gondola passes by. In front of the passageway are three young trees, the leaves of which fall in front of the passageway. To the left of the passageway is a child holding a baby. On either side of the passageway are windows that indicate the walls that fill the plate.
Collection Object
Abstraction, from the portfolio "Constellations"

Collection Object
Miners' Union Hall
Photograph of a square-shaped wooden building with broken windows and a wagon alongside it.
Collection Object
Untitled, from "Album Cinétique en hommage à Alexandre Dauvillier"

Collection Object
Iro-Nabeshima Plate with Maple Leaves on Spider Wed design, one of five

Collection Object
Autumn Mountain and Stream After a Rain
This painting on a hanging scroll is predominantly painted in black ink. To the right middle of the painting is a stream. Along the left side from edge to edge are plants, trees, and rocks which gradually turn into rocky mountains as it gets closer to the top. Littered on the left side are small buildings. There is also a small roofed building at the edge of the stream. There is an inscription on the upper right side that contains two lines and signature following on the left and a small red stamp. 
Collection Object
Westchester, New York, Farmhouse
A profile view of a farmhouse featuring a car and a tree without leaves.
Collection Object
Rocking Chair
Photograph of a rocking chair on the front porch of a house.
Collection Object
Cemetery Gates
A photograph of a pair of gates set against a cloudy sky.
Collection Object
Calavera Zapatista
A skeleton, with a rifle strapped to his back and a flag of the skull and crossbones in his hand, rides a horse over 13 skulls. The skeleton is wearing a sombrero and he has a handlebar mustache. 
Collection Object
Nightwalkers, Dublin, Ireland
This photograph depicts a view of a snowy street at night.  Meandering in opposites directions, a man and woman are walking their dogs.
Collection Object
Beasts at Night

Collection Object
IRL

Superior In-Person Experience

Copyright
All Rights Reserved
Created by
Kate Donoghue
Last Updated
May 25, 2022 4:20 p.m.

80 Items in this Learning Collection
Dark Presence III
An assemblage of wooden boxes painted black. The boxes are mounted on top of each other and each box contains carved pieces of wood in various shapes. 
Collection Object
A Monument in Rouen

Collection Object
Unity no. 41
Large abstract painting with an orange border that fades to purple and then becomes bright aqua-blue at the center.
Collection Object
Vase
irridescent blue vase with large mouth and large flared foot
Collection Object
Trefoil vase
Vessel with trefoil, or three-lobed, shape of transparent blue glass with an intricate plant-motif decoration and gold accents. <br />
Collection Object
Narrow-necked vase with crackled celadon glaze

Collection Object
Phelps
Pulpy paper adhered to a canvas. The paper is painted in hues of blue, pink, red, green, and yellow. Overlapping designs are stamped into the paper and a partial shape of a heart is spray-painted red in the center.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Begin the Beguine
<p>Interior composition with male and female dancers positioned at center with seated female at lower left, standing male on crutches at right and a group of birds in the leftmost background.</p>
Collection Object
Charity (La Charité)
Painting of a woman holding two sleeping nude babies, wearing white fabric draped over her head and shoulders with abundant blue-green fabric wrapped and loosely gathered around the rest of her body standing in front of a lush background with areas of blue sky peaking through the foliage.
Collection Object
Untitled
Two sets of concentric arcs of bright colors radiate toward one another from the lower left corner and the upper right corner.
Collection Object
Beach Accident, Coney Island, New York
Aerial view of a beach on which a swimming accident has occurred. A group of people swarm to the central location and focal point of the photograph, where the injured person lies.
Collection Object
Alber's Chain
Multi-colored fabric pieces hung loosely together in a horizontal format. Colors include red, orange, blue, green, black, purple, pink and various other combinations of these colors.
Collection Object
Pieced quilt in variable star pattern with saw-tooth border

Collection Object
What We All Lack (Ce qui manque à nous tous)
A clear glass bubble rests on the bowl of a plain white clay pipe. Along the stem of the pipe are the words, "Ce que [sic] manque à nous tous."
Collection Object
Ice House
A small urban house is seen in a nocturnal view set in winter. The house is covered with icicles hang from the gables and over the first floor windows and door. There is no illumination from inside the house, although there are lights in adjacet houses; the house is illuminated by a cool white light that, along with the house, illuminates the chain-link fence to the right and the trees flanking the house.
Collection Object
Yellow Meander
This work is a square, abstract composition with thick, overlapping yellow and gray lines in a labyrinthine pattern. The print is signed and dated (l.r.) "Anni Albers 1970." and titled and numbered (l.l.) "Yellow Meander 51/75" in pencil.
Collection Object
October
This abstract color lithograph is made up of swirling lines and patterns of white, black, orange, pink and green inks. These forms make up an all-over image and appear similar to splatters or drips of ink. The print is signed and dated (l.r.) "Tobey 1970" and editioned (l.l.) "19/200" in pencil.
Collection Object
Untitled, from "The New York Collection for Stockholm: 30 Artists"
A print of a man posing juxtaposed with a black and white geometric design in the lower right hand corner. The man is printed in red ink. <br /><br /> EC 2017
Collection Object
Self-Portrait
This photograph depicts a window of a house with the photographer’s reflection cast in it. Also visible in the reflection are the white picket fence and trees behind the photographer, as well as objects inside the interior of the house.
Collection Object
If Nothing Changes, It Changes Nothing (Sweater)
Long sleeve knit sweater, navy blue on top and red on bottom with red and white striped cuffs on the sleeves. There is a pattern of white stars on the front of the sweater, along with the words IF NOTHING CHANGES outlined in white. The back of the sweater also has a pattern of white stars along with the words 2008 IT CHANGES NOTHING outlined in white.
Collection Object
Shallow bowl with floral arabesque pattern

Collection Object
The Wonderfulness of Downtown
An image of a drawn map of New York City featuring a compass, three ships, and a person in armor with a photographed face collaged on top of it. Photographs depicting New York City landscapes are collaged across the map.
Collection Object
One of a Pair of Casement Windows from the Darwin Martin House, Buffalo, NY
One of a pair of windows with a highly regular, rectilinear, although asymetric, design in both clear and colored glass. Window has an oak frame. Window design consists of vertical and horizontal bands of green and amber colorerd glass at top and bottom of window; along one side are colored squares of glass; along the other is a chevron-shaped column of glass. The overall effect is of colored pieces of glass suspended within a clear window subdivided by abstract bands and patterns of lead caming.
Collection Object
Girl in Green Wind (large)
A girl with her head and body in profile with her head streached in front of her body and hair flowing behind her. Her black hair is outlined with blue and is used to show texture. Her clothing is black, green, and yellow. Behind her is a an overlapping of sunflowers.
Collection Object
Rice Cake Mold
A small glazed porcelain piece resembling a cake stand. The top is detailed with a carved pattern that would imprint the rice cake being molded on it.<br /> <br /> Rice cake stamps are used to impress designs upon rice cakes. They are generally made of wood or ceramic. Ceramic rice cake stamps normally come in the form of round stamps and consist of a patterned surface and a handle. Patterns, carved or raised, on the stamp vary from geometric lines to auspicious designs that wish for prosperity and longevity. Their small size makes them highly portable, while their simple yet contemporary designs have mad them popular among collectors. The University of Michigan Museum of Art collection includes nine white porcelain rice cake stamps. Some are gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Hasenkamp, and others are gifts from Ok Ja Chang and the Chang family.<br /> <br /> Glaze has been removed from the foot rim, on which fine sand spur marks remain.<br /> <br /> [Korean Collection, University of Michigan Museum of Art (2014)
Collection Object
Deeda Blair
A photograph of the back of a woman wearing a dark dress with a floral pattern.
Collection Object
Small White Square (Wedding Dress)
This is a square shaped print in tones of white, beige and brown. It shows a lacy floral pattern with white dots that resemble pearls.
Collection Object
Construction #45
This is an abstract metallic sculpture with a black square base. The silver metal of the sculpture is little thicker than wire and forms two into intersecting circular shapes.
Collection Object
Untitled
This sculpture consists of a red bird cage stand with a half-circle red cage on top. Inside the cage, there is a plastic green, yellow and red airplane toy hanging from the top. There is a white and black figure inside the plane. The work is signed by the artist in black paint at the base: "Tyree Guyton".
Collection Object
Iridescent round ball corner ink well with lid
This is a clear glass inkwell with a dark metal lid. The body is composed of a large sphere balanced on three smaller spheres. It has a circular top with a flat lid.<br />
Collection Object
Iridescent Glass Inkwell with purple-gray iridescent, gold ram head stopper
An iridescent glass inkwell with a gold lid. The base is purplish-gray while the lid has a ram's head engraved on it.
Collection Object
Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin Counties, California
This photograph depicts a view of a hilly landscape and a long fence that curves throughout the countryside and into the distance. The fence is made of steel cable and poles with a wall of white fabric hung throughout its length.  
Collection Object
In a Catholic hospital in Koln, W. Germany 1963
An older woman lies in bed as a younger woman attaches tubing to her arm. A large metal canister is to her right, while a small bottle of clear liquid hangs from a metal pole on her left. Another young woman looks up at it.
Collection Object
Cary Grant as a male war bride
This photolithographic print in pink, red, orange and yellow is made of four main parts. A series of patterns from stripes at the top to small to tiny polka dots at the bottom make up the background. The stripes are in all the colors of the print, where the dots are only in orange and red. At the top left, there are a series of fragments of geometric scenes. In the bottom left, in orange, red and yellow, there is a bird, likely a parakeet. Then to the right at the bottom, there are two photographs of white men. On the right, there is a photograph of an older man with one pair of prescription glasses on and a pair of sunglasses resting on his forehead with the text below that reads: "<em>Stravinsky: Restoration and adaptation</em> / librettos ('Moses und Aron,' 'Die Glückliche Hand,' 'Die Jacobsleiter,' 'Les Noces,' 'Renard'). / 9. Each of us worked with concreteness of sound, unlike the last Webern where choice of sound seems to be a final stage." On the left, there is a man in three-quarter view with sholder
Collection Object
Black Nagoya-style obi with appliquéd pathces woven in varied designs
Black plain-weave satin with appliqued patches in abstract geometric shapes, with woven floral, geometric, and landscape designs.
Collection Object
Miniature jar with cover, decorated with figures of boy acrobats
Miniature rounded jar with cover, decorated with blue figures of boy acrobats.
Collection Object
Imperial Winter Dragon Robe

Collection Object
Artichoke
A color photograph featuring an artichoke head in the center. The artichoke is mostly white and the rest of the image is blue.
Collection Object
Where She Lives

Collection Object
Ghada
Portrait of a middle-aged woman. She looks into the camera lens; her dark hijab disappears into the dark background. Persian calligraphy is inscribed subtly over her skin in ink.
Collection Object
Angel
A color photograph with hues of blue and white featuring a figure with wings. The figure is encircled by white and appears to glow.
Collection Object
The Seniors Project (24)
An image of a woman with short gray hair wearing a brown jacket, blue dress, and red hat sitting on an outdoor stone platform. In the background are four other people, speaking to each other.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Untitled
White glazed porcelain pitcher with two different black silhouette faces in profile, one on each side.
Collection Object
Journey of Life (left of a pair)

Collection Object
Blue and Red Hackers Ax
A red and blue painted object with matte and shiny finishes. A long wooden ax handle attached to a computer keyboard wrapped with a curly telephone cord towards the base of the handle.
Collection Object
Kiva
An installation piece that consists of a television monitor on a stand with a closed-circuit camera mounted on top. The lens is pointed directly off the top of the monitor, but there are mirrors suspended from the ceiling that change the camera's perspective.
Collection Object
Ark of Triumph

Collection Object
Possum
A hairlike, lightbrown material on a wood board giving the appearance of an animal&#39;s face with protruding ears.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Untitled
three aluminum-painted canvas panels joined in the back to form a square, with five inlays of Sculptmetal, zinc photographic plates and lead
Collection Object
Handle with Care

Collection Object
Visible Markers

Collection Object
Erosion

Collection Object
Untitled

Collection Object
Michaela and Collin
This photograph is of two children in an enclosed porch. A young girl rests her head on a ledge, while a young boy stands behind her to the right, holding a toy bow and arrow close to her head.
Collection Object
Winged Ones
Black and white image of a child looking out a window with white wings superimposed on her back and a white insect watching her.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Untitled
A hexagonal canvas with multi-colored lines breaking the surface into three individual, identically-sized sections. Two of the sections are primarily green and one is primarily gray.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Untitled
Strips of overlapping, multi-colored paper on a white background, the paper is blue, pink, purple, green, orange, and black.
Collection Object
Fences

Collection Object
Anton's Letter
A glass sculpture of a figure. The background is rectangular in shape and there is a man standing in front holding a sign. The pieces of metal are imbedded in the glass and have colors of blues, reds, blacks, purples and pinks.
Collection Object
Safety Pin

Collection Object
Napoleon Standing Next to Chair
This large, multi-media work shows two sketches of the well-known image of Napoleon with his righ hand tucked in his vest. The image on the left is just a sketch outlined in dark blue spray paint while on the right is a more detailed color rendering outlined in light blue. On the far right is a chair. The name “DAVID” is stenciled at bottom left of center. 
Collection Object
Untitled, Sounding Sculpture

Collection Object
Alice
Larger section of the background of piece. Orange in color and organic in shape.
Collection Object
Cronopios
A purple omeba-shaped form that has mutli-colored circles and blue designs on top. It hangs on a wall on top of a vinyl rectangle that has similar designs.
Collection Object
Black Excursion No. 13
Square, rectangular, and circular pieces of wood and formica are assembled in rectilinear, cabinet-like compartments. The entire object is painted black.
Collection Object
Tarzana

Collection Object
Notions

Collection Object
Ueno Zoo
Stylized red lion on a blue background above the text &quot;UENO ZOO&quot; in white lettering.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Kazumasa Nagai Design Life
Orange deer with purple spots, antlers, and articulated teeth on a yellow background.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Close-up of Japan, London 1985
Geometric shapes creating the image of a samurai with a red and green robe on a yellow background. 
Collection Object
Table, Notebook and Pencil
A curved wooden table with a red notebook and a pencil.
Collection Object
La Fortaleza
A two-point perspective drawing of a big yellow building with red rooftop around the corner on the street.
Collection Object
The Lord's Prayer, sheet 10 - For Thine Is the Kingdom (Das Vaterunser - Denn Dein ist das Reich)
A man, a woman, and a child facing the viewer with their hands folded in prayer. The man and woman sit on a mattress and look to heaven. The child stands in front of them with his head bowed. Next to the child is a diminutive cow. In the background behind the family are images of fish and birds.
Collection Object
Shoot IV, from "Shoot"

Collection Object
Seule

Collection Object
Untitled(Praying Women)

Collection Object
Ile de la Cité

Collection Object
Mirror Image

Collection Object
Invariables
A man in the center with geometric shapes around, other figures with different facial expressions.
Collection Object
A Stag at Sharkey's
Two boxers trade punches in a ring with the referee close behind and the crowd cheering. One boxer is pushing the other with his forearm.
Collection Object
35 Items in this Learning Collection
Le pinchet noir et la tête de mort (Black Pitcher and Death's Hand)

Collection Object
Paper Collage with Slide Projection
This sculptural mixed-media consists of three long, narrow panels supporting plexiglass elements. The first has transparent plexiglass with brown geometric shapes on it as well as broken glass or plexiglass rods, and painted blue, green, and red dashed lines on the plexiglass. The second, shorter panel is black and glossy with six black matte squares on it. Red, orange, green, and blue abstract shapes are layered underneath the squares. The third, narrower, panel is transparent with eight square sections, some covered with an opaque material. There are also abstract designs that are primarily black, with some green and orange.
Collection Object
Le Poisson
This color lithograph shows an orange fish encased in a wide halo of blue ink which is, in turn, encased in a border of purple ink, with light grey showing through from behind the purple and blue. On the left is a gridded orange circular shape encased in the same borders. 
Collection Object
Calavera Maderista
A figure of a skeleton wearing a hat, scarf, pants and sandals walking towards the left side of the image. He has a mustache and carries a bottle.
Collection Object
Ah Puch
Bust of a figure from the chest up in three-quarters pose. The head, or perhaps a mask, is white, resembling a skull with a halo of white hair. The neck is dark brown with two white bands like chokers around it, perhaps securing the mask. The figure wears a dark red garment that is trimmed in ornate lace in white and gold. The background is a deep teal green-blue.
Collection Object
Sunset Corner
A vast surface of orange yields in the very bottom of the painting to a swath of yellow, under which there is a line of white and green, and under that a thin black line.
Collection Object
Number 3, from "Numbers"
The number &quot;3&quot; in orange in a blue circle with a green background; the word &quot;THREE&quot; written bottom center.
Collection Object
Male Twin Figure
Standing male figure on a round base with hands at the sides. Around the waist are two strings of black and blue beads, a  string of round, orange beads around the neck, as well as a geometric pattern on the abdomen and brass around the ankles. On each cheek are four horizontal grooves topped by three vertical grooves and three vertical grooves. The pupils are metal and the hair is in a conical shape with a small knob and coated in blue pigment. 
Collection Object
Articulation: Formulation
Two rectangles are on a long, horizontal white piece of paper, with rectangles embedded in them in blues, oranges and purples.
Collection Object
The Underworld
This print shows a chaotic scene with a white skeleton in the center. In the upper left, there are a series of sea creatures, including a grey colored shark, pink colored squids and two octopuses in shades of orange. At the bottom of the print, the skeleton is surrounded by a large lizard, skulls, and other figures. A moon and stars are in the upper left corner. The print is signed (l.r.) "Underground Ann McCoy" and numbered "18/100" in red pencil.
Collection Object
Pot
A squat, gracefully rounded pot with a mouth that is slightly smaller than the widest circumference of the pot, and a tapered base. The interior is colored white (slip). There is a band of black along the rim. The exterior is decorated with a checkerboard-like pattern of alternating rectangles of two designs: brownish-orange divided vertically by a white stripe broken by three thin black lines and white squares divided diagonally with wave-like black shapes.
Collection Object
Articulation: Formulation
On a long white horizontal piece of paper are two rectangles, the one on the left is larger and the on the right, smaller. On the left rectangle are orange, white and black vertical and horizontal stripes. On the right rectangle there are black, white and grey stripes. 
Collection Object
Articulation: Formulation
On a long horizontal white piece of paper two brown-maroon rectangles sit. Each has a series of rectangles within it with a squared U-shape sitting on the bottom edge of the nested rectangles. The colors are dark yellows, reds, oranges, and some blue. 
Collection Object
Sunflower III
This abstract print has a large dark red and black circular form in the top half of the frame and a large orange and red circular form in lower half.  Black splotches and expressive lines dominate and overlap much of the image.
Collection Object
October
This abstract color lithograph is made up of swirling lines and patterns of white, black, orange, pink and green inks. These forms make up an all-over image and appear similar to splatters or drips of ink. The print is signed and dated (l.r.) "Tobey 1970" and editioned (l.l.) "19/200" in pencil.
Collection Object
Tile with Hopi Thunderbird
Red orange rectangular tile with a thin black line border and black Thunderbird design.
Collection Object
Children of Niobe
This color lithograph has an abstract composition of thin lines, all about the same width, in red, orange, green, and black. The print is numbered (l.l.) "79/250", titled (l.c.) "Children of Niobe", and signed and dated (l.r.) "S W Hayter 54" in pencil.
Collection Object
Abstrakte Komposition
A spare and restrained abstract composition is built up out of layers of mostly translucent basic geometric forms. The grey tones of the background are created with large rectangle shapes. In the upper part of the piece is a light colored circle, with a brighter circle inside it. Both are crossed by an axis of bright, thin orange lines. On the left, the point of a triangle protrudes from the edge. It is covered by a faint gray trapezoidal shape. Three small black semi-circles are also visible: one along the lines inside the circles; the other two along the trapezoidal shape and just beneath the triangle.
Collection Object
Day of All Dead

Collection Object
Underworld
This hand colored lithograph shows a chaotic scene with three, masked figures at the lower left surrounded by a variety of sea creatures: squids, octopusus, sharks and turtles. 
Collection Object
Bleeding Skull

Collection Object
Miserere. Pl. 54. 'Debout les morts!' 'Arise, ye dead!'

Collection Object
Dark Horizon

Collection Object
The Traghetto, No. 2, One of the 'Twelve Etchings,' or the 'First Venice Set'
A dark passageway dominates the middle and left portions of the composition; to the right is a group of men seated outside at a table. The passageway has a view at the far end of a man seated while a gondola passes by. In front of the passageway are three young trees, the leaves of which fall in front of the passageway. To the left of the passageway is a child holding a baby. On either side of the passageway are windows that indicate the walls that fill the plate.
Collection Object
Abstraction, from the portfolio "Constellations"

Collection Object
Miners' Union Hall
Photograph of a square-shaped wooden building with broken windows and a wagon alongside it.
Collection Object
Untitled, from "Album Cinétique en hommage à Alexandre Dauvillier"

Collection Object
Iro-Nabeshima Plate with Maple Leaves on Spider Wed design, one of five

Collection Object
Autumn Mountain and Stream After a Rain
This painting on a hanging scroll is predominantly painted in black ink. To the right middle of the painting is a stream. Along the left side from edge to edge are plants, trees, and rocks which gradually turn into rocky mountains as it gets closer to the top. Littered on the left side are small buildings. There is also a small roofed building at the edge of the stream. There is an inscription on the upper right side that contains two lines and signature following on the left and a small red stamp.&nbsp;
Collection Object
Westchester, New York, Farmhouse
A profile view of a farmhouse featuring a car and a tree without leaves.
Collection Object
Rocking Chair
Photograph of a rocking chair on the front porch of a house.
Collection Object
Cemetery Gates
A photograph of a pair of gates set against a cloudy sky.
Collection Object
Calavera Zapatista
A skeleton, with a rifle strapped to his back and a flag of the skull and crossbones in his hand, rides a horse over 13 skulls. The skeleton is wearing a sombrero and he has a handlebar mustache. 
Collection Object
Nightwalkers, Dublin, Ireland
This photograph depicts a view of a snowy street at night.  Meandering in opposites directions, a man and woman are walking their dogs.
Collection Object
Beasts at Night

Collection Object

Copyright
All Rights Reserved ()

October

Accession Number
1973/1.806

Title
October

Artist(s)
Mark Tobey

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1970

Medium & Support
lithograph on Arches paper

Dimensions
25 1/8 in x 33 9/16 in (63.82 cm x 85.25 cm);31 in x 39 15/16 in (78.74 cm x 101.44 cm);16 7/8 in x 26 5/8 in (42.86 cm x 67.63 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
This work is characterized by the allover painting and calligraphic "white writing" style for which Tobey is most well known.  He was deeply influenced by the Bahai faith to which he subscribed—a belief system that asserts that all of humanity is interconnected by a single faith and the deeper spiritual connection between humans and the natural universe. These ideologies are represented in Tobey's work, such as October, in which many calligraphic and lyrical lines are interwoven in an all-over pattern. The lines radiate throughout the work in every possible direction and give the print a sense of depth. The white lines, in particular, stand out from the more muted tones and black lines and highlight the calligraphic nature of these "white writing" works. Created at the end of Tobey's career, after he was settled in Switzerland, he learned and developed printmaking as one of his final artistic pursuits.

Physical Description
This abstract color lithograph is made up of swirling lines and patterns of white, black, orange, pink and green inks. These forms make up an all-over image and appear similar to splatters or drips of ink. The print is signed and dated (l.r.) "Tobey 1970" and editioned (l.l.) "19/200" in pencil.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
abstract

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Bahaism
abstraction
allover patterns
calligraphy (visual works)
color lithographs
modern and contemporary art

1 Related Resource

& Author Notes

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