Photography by Edward C. Robison III.
Untitled
In Cosmos Mental, Matta dives into the space of the mind—chaotic, vibrant, and full of motion. Shapes twist and swirl through glowing reds and oranges, like thoughts in flux or emotions taking form. This is not a literal space; it’s a feeling. A mental landscape. For Matta, the inner world is just as vast as the outer one. The painting reminds us that mental and emotional landscapes shape our well-being. To be whole, we must understand and honor the complexity inside.
ArtistMatta, Chilean, 1911–2002
Dateca. 1941
MediumColored pencil and crayon on paper
Dimensions19 x 16 1/8 x 1 1/2 in.
Mark(s)verso, u.l., embossed stamp: STRATHMORE / USE EITHER SIDE
verso, on backing board, u.l., sticker: ROSE ART MUSEUM / BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY / WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 02154 / MATTA: THE FIRST DECADE / May 9 - June 20, verso, on backing board, u.r., sticker: [Pace Wildenstein gallery label]
verso, on backing board, c.l., sticker: [Andrew Crispo Gallery, Inc. gallery label]
verso, on backing board, l.r., upside-down sticker: [Sidney Janis Gallery gallery label]
Inscription(s)verso, u.l., in pencil: 1946
verso, u.c., in pencil: [upwards pointing arrow] TOP!
verso, l.c., in pencil, upside-down: 14 1/2" x 11 1/2"
verso, in pencil: [abstract illustration of two alien figures]
verso, on backing board, c., black marker on white sticker: 35363
Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, Gift of Maria and Conrad Janis, 2023.38
ClassificationDrawing
ProvenanceArtist; to (Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, NY); to Private Collection, Beverly Hills, CA; to Conrad Janis [1928-2022] and Maria Janis [1946-2021], Los Angeles, CA; to Conrad and Maria Janis Living Trust, 2022; given to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2023
On ViewNo
This artwork's face covers about 42× the area of a tennis ball.Drawn to the same scale.