Rhythm 1934

Robert Delaunay made this painting, Rhythm, with oil paint on canvas. Look at the way Delaunay lays down these luminous circles and squares of colour, almost like stained glass. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? About the sheer joy of putting colours together, of seeing how they vibrate and hum against each other. Up close, you can see the texture, the slight imperfections where the paint has been layered. It is not about hiding the process, but showing it. See how he doesn’t blend the colours smoothly but leaves a bit of a rough edge to each shape. There’s an energy, a kind of optimistic pulse, running through this work. It reminds me of Sonia Delaunay’s textiles, with their similar celebration of colour and pattern. What both these artists share is a belief in the power of abstraction to capture the rhythms and energies of modern life.