The Crowd 1915

Wyndham Lewis made this painting, called ‘The Crowd’ with oil paint. The way the brown paint is layered on gives it this feeling of depth, like the city is folding in on itself. Up close, you can see that the paint isn’t trying to hide its texture; it’s got these tiny bumps and grooves that catch the light. The warm palette feels both industrial and claustrophobic. See how Lewis uses the grid as a motif throughout the piece? It’s in the buildings, the windows, and even the figures themselves seem trapped in their own little boxes. I think the grid represents the alienating effect of modern life, how we’re all just cogs in a machine. It reminds me of Stuart Davis, who used American imagery, signs and advertising in a similar way. What’s really interesting is how the grid breaks down towards the left of the painting, the figures are fragmented and destabilized, as if the crowd is overwhelming the structure. That’s the thing about art, it doesn’t give you all the answers; it just asks better questions.