Untitled II 

Henry Lyman Saÿen created this stark, Untitled print using ink on paper. Born in Philadelphia, Saÿen spent much of his life abroad, particularly in Paris, where he absorbed the influences of European modernism. The precise date of this print is unknown, but we can see in its bold, simplified forms and flattened perspective the influence of early 20th-century avant-garde movements. Saÿen was part of a generation of American artists who sought to forge a new artistic identity, separate from the academic traditions of the past. This print, with its abstracted landscape and emphasis on graphic impact, reflects that impulse. But it's also possible to read the industrial imagery as a commentary on the changing landscape of the early 20th century, both celebrating and perhaps critiquing the rise of urban modernity. To understand Saÿen's work more fully, we can research his involvement in modernist circles and examine his writings on art and society. The meaning of art is always embedded in its specific historical and institutional context.