Deux musiciennes 1937

Le Corbusier made this painting called "Deux musiciennes" with oil on canvas, and you can see how he’s built up the image, layer by layer, almost like he’s constructing a building, which, of course, he was famous for. There’s this cool interplay of flat planes and lines that create depth, yet it’s all happening right there on the surface. Check out the way he's used colour; soft blues, yellows, and whites are blocked up against each other, creating a kind of harmony, a musical composition in itself. The paint is applied pretty thinly, allowing the eye to glide over the surface, picking out details. There’s this moment, on the left, where two figures seem to emerge, one with blue and white striped innards that is really nicely observed. It suggests the way figures melt into form and a space of pure imagination. It is a reminder that like the work of Picasso, Braque and Gris, Le Corbusier's work shows us painting as an ongoing conversation, embracing ambiguity and multiple interpretations.