florence 1914-15 Exter

The composition presents a fractured view of urban architecture, seemingly depicting a cityscape through a lens of fragmentation and abstraction. Here we see a dense arrangement of geometric forms – cubes, cylinders, and planes – interlocking and overlapping in a manner that defies traditional perspective. The artist has eschewed any clear foreground or background; instead, the space appears to collapse upon itself, creating a sense of disorientation.
A palette dominated by muted earth tones – ochre, grey, brown – is punctuated by flashes of red, green, and yellow. These brighter hues do not function as highlights but rather as disruptive elements within the overall somber tonality, contributing to the feeling of instability. The application of paint appears deliberate, with visible brushstrokes adding texture and emphasizing the physicality of the medium.
The presence of a word – Firenze – boldly inscribed in capital letters across the lower portion of the canvas provides a crucial contextual anchor. It suggests that this is an attempt to capture the essence of Florence, but not through representational means. Rather, it’s a deconstruction of its visual identity.
Subtly embedded within the geometric structure are hints of recognizable architectural motifs: arches reminiscent of Florentine doorways, and what might be fragments of domes or towers. However, these elements are distorted and integrated into the overall abstract design, preventing them from being read as straightforward depictions. The effect is to convey a sense of urban chaos, perhaps reflecting anxieties about modernity, industrialization, or even impending conflict.
The painting’s lack of depth and its flattened perspective suggest an interest in exploring the two-dimensionality of the canvas itself. It seems less concerned with portraying a specific place than with investigating the formal possibilities of abstraction and the relationship between representation and reality. The overall impression is one of controlled disruption, where recognizable forms are dismantled and reassembled to create a new visual language that speaks to the complexities of modern experience.