Untitled 1934

Clyfford Still made this untitled painting with oil on canvas at an unknown date. The mark-making in this painting is really interesting. You can see that Still is working out something on the canvas, almost feeling around for the form in the process of painting it. The paint has a beautiful texture; it's thick, almost sculptural in places. See how the strokes of brown and ochre build up the figure's form, especially around the legs and torso. It gives the impression of someone emerging from the darkness, or maybe returning to it. The application is so physical, as if Still were wrestling with the material itself. I'm reminded of Picasso's early figurative works. Still also explores the figure in this painting, but in a much more brooding, psychological way. It's not just about representation; it's about the raw, messy process of trying to capture something elusive. It remains ambiguous, and maybe that’s the point.