Robert Delaunay
Who needs a little bit of sun in mid-December?
Robert and Sonia Delaunay were vacationing at the resort of San Sebastián, Spain, when the outbreak of World War I caught them by surprise. In June 1915, they settled in the northern village of Vila do Conde, near Porto in Portugal, where they lived until March 1916.
In this painting, Delaunay blends figurative and abstract elements to create a dynamic composition. A traditionally dressed Portuguese woman appears on the right, carrying a piece of pottery. Her richly colored attire contributes to the painting’s vivid palette, while the iconic orphic circles at the center radiate waves of color across the canvas. On the left, brightly colored plants further enhance the composition’s rhythmic energy.
This artwork is featured in our Weekly Desk Calendar for the upcoming year. Bring a little sunshine to your desk (or gift it to someone who needs it)—but hurry, our calendars are almost gone!
P.S. Read about Sonia and Robert Delaunay, soulmates in both life and art who formed what is probably the most extraordinary creative partnership in art history.