Education 1966

This painting, Education, by Johannes Itten, is an investigation into color theory through layering blocks within blocks. I wonder what it was like for Itten, the painter, making the work, step by step, layer by layer. Was he thinking about Josef Albers? I bet he was. The painting has a very matte surface with these soft, subtle tones. He must have been very careful to apply the right amount of paint. Notice that the texture is smooth and how each colored square is neatly defined, yet the overall feeling is soft. The central square of yellow might represent the spark of enlightenment, surrounded by rings of cooler blues and purples and warmer reds and pinks. It feels like a visual exercise, like color as a meditative practice. Painting is an ongoing conversation, and artists are always in dialogue with one another across time, inspiring each other’s creativity.