Illustration [right half] 1955

Jacques Villon created this artwork, called "Illustration [right half]," employing a Cubist vocabulary of fragmented forms and a cool palette of blues and whites. The fractured shapes evoke a sense of deconstruction, an impulse that permeates much of early 20th-century art. Consider how the motif of fragmentation, present here, echoes across time. It is a recurring theme, appearing in ancient mosaics to contemporary digital art. In ancient Roman mosaics, broken pieces formed a whole, not unlike Villon’s fractured subject. This approach to art-making reflects a deeper psychological impulse, a desire to understand the world by taking it apart, examining its pieces, and reassembling them in new and revealing ways. This impulse isn't linear but cyclical, resurfacing across history, reminding us of the enduring power of symbols to reflect the complexities of human understanding.