Eiffel Tower

Curator: Standing before us is Robert Delaunay's "Eiffel Tower," an oil painting from 1922 currently housed here at the Hirshhorn. Editor: My initial feeling? A joyous vertigo. The dizzying perspective, that vibrant green… it’s like falling happily through the Parisian sky! Curator: Delaunay was a key figure in Orphism, a branch of Cubism, and you can certainly see that geometric language here. The tower itself is fractured, faceted almost like a crystal, deconstructed but still undeniably the Eiffel Tower. Editor: And yet, it feels less about analytical dissection, which is what I associate with most Cubism, and more about conveying the sensory experience of *being* there. The painting vibrates, doesn't it? I love how he represents the tower both as a monument and as an intimate perception, framed by those almost whimsical, curling green spaces. Curator: Indeed, notice how the painting blends man-made and natural forms: the iron lattice work mirroring the looping pathways and gardens. He presents the Eiffel Tower, this symbol of modernity, embedded within a natural, almost pastoral setting. It's a harmonious relationship, quite optimistic for the time. Editor: It's playful! The palette itself seems to exude a vibrant pulse, full of fresh vegetation—light yellows and luminous greens intermingle between the rigid segments of the tower and walkways in an effortless composition of form. He lets you experience the tower in his world as the artist. Curator: The Eiffel Tower held immense symbolic weight for Delaunay. It represented modernity, technological advancement, and the spirit of France itself. But more than that, it was a form that he seemed compelled to return to throughout his career. It was more than just a subject. It became a vehicle. Editor: A vehicle for seeing, perhaps. For exploring the fractured reality of modern life. Delaunay wasn't just painting a landmark; he was capturing a feeling. That dizzying joy...the sense of possibility... it's all still there, a century later. It shows an evolving connection from past times until the modern world now that has changed in shape and form so much! Curator: It is fascinating how he blends the grand scale with personal feeling. A monument imbued with an almost intimate emotional charge. It offers us continuity despite apparent formal experimentation and disruption. Editor: Right? I’m leaving this piece wanting to ride to the top of the Tower, laughing all the way. I should note, never in my lifetime have I actually ridden to the top... So I am happy this art has invoked some feelings in a small corner of me to do so at least once, even in the future.