Composition 1913

Wyndham Lewis made this ‘Composition’ using watercolor and pencil on paper. It's important to note that the graphic style and machine aesthetic that he favored weren't just about visual appearance, but a reflection of an industrializing world. Look closely and you'll notice the emphasis on precise lines and geometric forms, which suggests a sense of mechanical precision. The hard-edged shapes appear as though they were engineered, not made by hand. Yet, watercolor is anything but mechanical; it bleeds and blooms across the page. Pencil is also a direct medium. So, the combination is interesting here. Lewis’s technique speaks to the broader social context of his time, marked by rapid technological advancement and the rise of industrial capitalism. He wasn't just depicting machines, but attempting to embody their efficiency in his artistic process, which can be seen as both a celebration and a critique of modernity. Ultimately, this work challenges us to reconsider the relationship between art, technology, and the human hand.