St. Mary's with Houses and Chimney (Bonn) 1911

August Macke painted St. Mary’s with Houses and Chimney, Bonn, using oil on canvas. Look at the way Macke's laid down these colours; it’s almost like he’s building the scene, brick by brick. The materiality here is interesting, right? Notice how the colours aren’t blended. Instead, these blocks of red, blue, and ochre sit side by side, creating a kind of visual vibration. And that chimney! It's so flat and red against the more textured buildings; it's like a graphic exclamation point, isn't it? It’s almost cartoonish, but not quite. It reminds me of the way Léger used to simplify forms, but with a softer, more lyrical touch. Macke’s playing with something here that's beyond representation; it's more about feeling and experiencing Bonn through colour.