Sun, Tower, Airplane by Robert Delaunay

       Before discussing Soliel, Tour, Aeroplane (Sun, Tower, Airplane), it is important to connect the themes of the work with the historical context those themes represent. The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889, proving the strength of metal as a strong, sturdy, and long-lasting material that allowed buildings to reach higher than ever before. In 1906, the Wright Brothers completed the patent for the airplane, allowing people to fly higher in the sky than buildings like the Eiffel Tower. The airplane's success was demonstrated by Louis Blerot, who succeeded in crossing the entirety of the English Channel in 1909.
       

Sun, Tower, Airplane, Robert Delaunay, 1911, oil on canvas

       The titular elements of Sun, Tower, Airplane are portrayed in a colorful and geometric arrangement of shapes typical of Cubism. The sun, Eiffel Tower, and the biplane in particular are all re-arranged into differently shaped segments that still allow for the discernment of their forms. The work as a whole stands as a proud monument to the recent achievements of humanity: flight and towers to reach ever higher into the sky.
       Robert Delaunay reused the colorful style of Sun, Tower, Airplane on a work he completed the following year in 1912 titled Simultaneous Contrasts: Sun and Moon. The same whimsical and flowing color style is used to represent the sun and, to a lesser extent, the moon. As is evident, Delaunay's style of cubism took elements from Fauvism and Expressionism with its bright and intense coloring that was designed to elicit an emotional response from the viewer.

Simultaneous Contrasts: Sun and Moon, Robert Delaunay, oil on anvas, 53" diameter.

       Delaunay was part of a movement known as Section d'Or (literally Golden Section). The movement included other artists like Fernand Leger and Frantisek Kupka, who also had cubist elements in their works.




For more information on the Wright Brothers check out:
http://www.wright-brothers.org/default.htm

For more information on Robert Delaunay's life check out:
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-artists/robert-delaunay.htm