Composition 

Robert Goodnough created this Composition with oil on canvas, but without a date, it can be difficult to draw conclusions about the artist's intentions in making this work. Looking closely, we see abstract shapes and colors, a hallmark of the post-World War II art world in the United States. Consider the Cold War context of the time, in which American art was often promoted as a sign of cultural freedom, distinct from the state-controlled art of the Soviet Union. This work, with its apparent lack of rigid structure or overt message, might be seen as an assertion of individual expression against oppressive regimes. To understand this painting better, we would want to look for exhibition records and critical reviews from the time it was first shown, as well as delve into Goodnough's personal papers, if they exist. These sources would give us a better sense of how this painting participated in the artistic and political debates of its time.