Harps 1945

Willi Baumeister made this painting, ‘Harps’, probably with oil on canvas, using a palette knife or a really stiff brush. You can tell by the marks, they’re kind of dragged and heavy. I love the way the black shapes really pop against the ground, like he's carving the image out of the canvas itself. And those thin lines in the center harp? They just hover there, so fragile and delicate against the chunky forms around them. Look closely at the base of the 'harps'; the paint is applied so thickly it almost seems to be built from layers of tiny blocks. It reminds me of musical notations, or even some forgotten language. Baumeister's process feels raw and immediate, yet it's also clear he’s in conversation with artists like Paul Klee, who was similarly invested in the power of simple forms. What do you think?