Bird's Eye 1923

Georges Valmier made this painting, called 'Bird's Eye', with oils, using a palette of pastels—lilac, pink, and mint green—alongside some very graphic blacks and whites. Look at the way the colors are arranged; it's like a still life that’s been taken apart and put back together in a completely new way. I wonder what Valmier was thinking when he made this. Maybe he was trying to capture the feeling of seeing something from above, like a bird soaring over a landscape. The stripes and checkerboard patterns also add a playful touch to the composition. It makes me think of a game of chess, where the artist is strategically arranging shapes and colors to create a dynamic and engaging composition. There's a real conversation happening here with the Cubists, but also with the later Pop artists, who loved those flat colours and sharp edges. It's like Valmier is speaking across time, inviting us to join in the fun.