Machine Form 1916

Morton Schamberg made this painting, Machine Form, and I'm guessing he used oil paint because of the lush quality of those deep colors. Looking at how the planes of color come together, you can see Schamberg really pushing the boundaries of representation, turning a mechanical object into something almost…human? I'm drawn to the top right, where the navy blue of the background sort of bleeds into the looping grey shape. It's subtle, but it creates this sense of depth that contrasts with the flatter areas of red and yellow. This reminds me of Leger’s work, how he turned figures into cylinders, but Schamberg is doing something even more radical. He's not just simplifying form; he's suggesting a whole new way of seeing. It's this interplay between the mechanical and the organic that makes this painting so captivating.