Painting (formerly Machine) 1916

This painting, formerly called Machine, was made by Morton Schamberg and when I look at it, I think about how a machine could be a portrait. The smooth, hard-edged geometric forms are painted in a subdued range of greens, blues, yellows, and blacks, like the palette of a mechanical object, and feel very flat against the canvas. The paint isn't brushed or gestural, but rather feels like an exploration of planes and color interactions. The yellow curve at the bottom left, for example, draws the eye and creates a sense of depth, pulling that part of the machine forward. You know, Schamberg was friends with other artists like Charles Sheeler who were interested in photography and industrial subjects. There is a connection between the precise angles and controlled tones here, and the way that photography flattens and abstracts the world into shapes. This piece lets us see the beauty and mystery in everyday objects, reminding us that art is about seeing, not just copying.