Nocturne 1910

Frantisek Kupka made this painting, Nocturne, with oil on canvas, and even though we don't know exactly when, the color choices make me think of a cool evening. Look at how he's built up the surface with these little strokes of blue, green, and black. It's like he’s not just painting what he sees, but how he feels—the quietness, the stillness, that comes over everything at night. Up close you can almost feel the texture of each stroke; thick enough to catch the light, but thin enough that the canvas peeks through. I'm drawn to the way the dark blues seem to push forward, while the greens recede into the background. It’s like when Rothko stacks colors on top of each other. This creates this sense of depth that isn’t really there, but tricks the eye and messes with your perception. Like a good painting should!