#43990 Bernard Cathelin (1919-2004)

The composition presents a fragmented urban landscape rendered in a palette dominated by muted reds, blues, and grays. The artist has eschewed traditional perspective, instead opting for a flattened pictorial space where forms appear to collide and overlap. A central cluster of block-like structures rises from the lower portion of the canvas; these are not clearly defined as buildings but rather suggest architectural elements abstracted into geometric shapes. Their surfaces exhibit a rough texture achieved through visible brushstrokes, imparting a sense of immediacy and physicality to the paint application.
The color scheme contributes significantly to the overall mood. The prevalence of red hues evokes feelings of intensity or perhaps even melancholy, while the blues introduce a coolness that contrasts with the warmth of the reds. These colors are not applied uniformly; instead, they blend and shift across surfaces, creating areas of visual ambiguity. A patch of intense crimson at the base anchors the composition, drawing the eye upward towards the fragmented structures above.
The absence of clear spatial cues and recognizable details contributes to a sense of disorientation. The viewer is denied a straightforward reading of the scene; instead, they are invited to engage with the painting on a more emotional or intuitive level. It’s possible to interpret this as a depiction of urban alienation – a feeling of being lost within an impersonal environment. Alternatively, the fractured forms could symbolize the breakdown of traditional structures and values, reflecting a period of societal upheaval.
The artists deliberate avoidance of representational accuracy suggests a focus on conveying subjective experience rather than objective reality. The painting’s power lies not in what it depicts literally but in its ability to evoke a particular atmosphere – one characterized by tension, fragmentation, and an underlying sense of unease.