Musique de Cafe 

Curator: Nicolas de Staël, though undated, his vibrant oil painting *Musique de Cafe* invites us into a lively, abstracted scene. What catches your eye first? Editor: Well, the colours just jump out, don't they? The whole composition pulsates with such raw, unrefined energy. The artist presents these colours as rough and expressive, almost chaotic—not chaotic but still…free. Curator: Absolutely, there's an immediacy. Staël, known for his distinct, blocky application of paint, creates a sense of depth through these textured layers. Do you see any recognizable figures? Editor: Yes! There's almost like a trio... I see the silhouette of what must be musicians, or maybe just people drinking coffee! Is that what cafes had, you know, spontaneous music with coffee and cigarettes? Anyway the figures emerge in that beautiful vibrant, but not hyper-realistic manner, as though lifted from memory. Or maybe from a foggy Saturday? Curator: Staël blends figuration and abstraction here, moving away from pure representation, typical of much modernist art. The context of Staël's work is crucial. Consider his privileged background and émigré status; how do you think these affected his artistic vision, or, perhaps, this vibrant picture's message? Editor: I hadn't really pondered Staël’s status; though his emigration influenced how he painted these somewhat universal café settings… It shows a deeply intuitive observation, beyond specific location or class. Maybe all cafes had music. More than conveying mere observations it communicates an atmosphere... and it's joyful too. What feelings is it conjuring for you? Curator: Well for me, considering its historical context during post-war Europe, I view it as an exploration of humanity through communal experiences, of art itself to bind individuals. But what do I know? That sounds stuffy. Perhaps that atmosphere of lively music and chat does what it does best, as escapism... A much better purpose for art. Editor: Agreed! Maybe both interpretations have weight. Either way, “Musique de Cafe”, if I close my eyes, plays in my mind a gorgeous and colorful sonata that deserves applause!