Hues of cobalt blues, saffron orange, plum purples, burgundy and rich greens cascade in sweeping, calligraphic ribbons across the surface of Untitled, an exceptional example of Joan Mitchell’s 1980s oeuvre. Executed in 1985, the present painting is a radiant manifestation of Mitchell's mastery over color and form: a vibrant culmination of her artistic pursuit to push the boundaries of abstraction. Every stroke pulsating with vitality, the composition displays a dynamic interplay of pigment and gesture. In Untitled, Mitchell effortlessly conveys a complex, layered visual experience, transforming the canvas from merely being a surface to a space where color and movement communicate both structure and fluidity. Never before seen by the public, Untitled has notably been held privately for 40 years.
The 1980s marked a pivotal period in Joan Mitchell’s life and artistic career. By this time, she had gained international recognition as a leading figure in abstract painting, with her first major solo exhibition in Europe, Joan Mitchell: Choix de Peintures, 1970–1982, held at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in 1982. With this pivotal show, she became the first female American artist to be featured at the institution. However, the early part of the decade was also marked by personal and physical struggles, which undoubtedly influenced her artistic output. Nevertheless, by the mid-1980s, she had regained her vitality and embarked on her Grande Vallée series, which Jane Livingston described as “one of her finest achievements.”
