Boxmač 1915

Josef Capek made "Boxmač" sometime in the early 20th century, with a real knack for turning figures into geometric puzzles. There's something incredibly tactile about this painting. It feels like Capek really worked the surface. Look at how he layers the shapes and tones, the way the grey blocks sit against the pale blues and pinks. It's all so delicately balanced. Then there are these spheres which appear as if they are floating around the composition. This isn’t just about representation. It’s about the act of painting itself, the pushing and pulling of forms until something new emerges. It reminds me a bit of Braque, but with a folkier, almost naive edge. It’s this tension, between sophistication and simplicity, that makes Capek’s work so interesting. It’s a reminder that art is always in conversation, borrowing and transforming, but always with a unique voice.