“Casts from Untitled: Leg” is an artwork created by the artist Jasper Johns in 1974. Johns, a figure affiliated with the Neo-Dada movement, is renowned for his abstract portrayals that often occupy the space between the familiar and the enigmatic. This particular piece exemplifies the principles of this movement through its abstraction and seemingly ordinary subject rendered in an unexpected way.
The artwork presents a dynamic composition dominated by a vibrant orange hue that serves as both the background and the primary color of the piece. On this orange field, a solitary outline of a human leg is discernible, rendered with an economy of line that borders on the minimalist. The leg appears almost as an afterthought or a ghostly presence against the potent orange. The upper portion of the artwork consists of a more subdued swath of color, perhaps indicating a delineation between different planes or aspects of the piece. Below the prominently displayed leg, one can notice the capitalized word “DELI” printed or scribbled in a manner that seems intentionally rough, aligning with the rawness consistent with the Neo-Dada aesthetic. The inclusion of this text element does not clarify but rather deepens the piece’s abstract quality and invites interpretation.
The artwork’s formal qualities—its use of color, minimal line work, and inclusion of text—allow it to engage viewers in a contemplation of object and representation, a hallmark of Johns’ body of work. The piece challenges traditional notions of representation and instead offers a fresh perspective that intertwines the abstract with the conceptually accessible.
