Composition 1927

This painting, Composition, is by Auguste Herbin, and it's a real puzzle of shapes and colours that feels like a playground for the eyes. Herbin's all about these bold, flat areas of colour, slamming up against each other. Take that big pink form on the left, for example. It’s not trying to be anything but itself, a pink shape, but the way it curves and interacts with the other forms creates a real sense of depth and movement. The surface is smooth, which emphasizes the directness of the colours. There is a little sun-like shape at the bottom, it adds a playful touch, grounding the composition. Herbin reminds me a bit of Léger, both playing with this idea of reducing the world to its basic components, but Herbin does it with this joyful, almost childlike energy. It’s a conversation between shapes and colours, and we're invited to join in.