Le Temps 1929

Georges Valmier made this painting, titled ‘Le Temps,’ with oil on canvas sometime in the 1920s. Just imagine Valmier with his brushes and those pots of paint, carefully piecing together these geometric shapes and colors, almost like assembling a puzzle. I wonder if Valmier felt like time was slipping away as he painted? The clock imagery is so prominent here, but the overall effect is very still. The paint looks so smooth and even. I'm getting a sense of controlled precision, and a playful yet structured approach. The shapes create a kind of dance, don’t they? It is so cool to see the way artists work with each other—this image and the flattening of space reminds me of Juan Gris, who was working in Paris in the early 20th century. This type of abstraction reminds us that painting never sits still! The conversation evolves as artists respond to what they see and feel.