Irschou 1947

Victor Brauner made this painting, Irschou, with oil on cardboard, and what strikes me first is the way he's built this composition from the ground up through flat planes and graphic lines. It’s like he’s making a world, piece by piece. The colors in the work are so interesting. They aren't exactly 'natural', and the hues push against each other in a way that makes the whole image slightly unsettling. Like that almost acidic yellow of the character on the left, or the dog. Look at the lines he uses to define each of the figures, these bold, graphic outlines that don't just describe but also seem to contain them. It's like the painting is both a collection of forms and a set of boundaries. Brauner's got this sense of humor and depth of thought, a kind of playful surrealism that he shares with artists like Joan Miró. Irschou is not just something to look at, but to wander around in, finding new connections and meanings each time.