Often accredited with painting the first 'Abstract' canvases, based on the theories of pure color, Robert Delaunay's unique method that studied the effect of contrasting color patterns started a new movement called 'Orphism.
' Robert-Victor-Felix Delaunay or Robert Delaunay was born in Paris on April 12, 1885, into a prominent French aristocratic family.
An average student academically, he apprenticed himself to a theater designer, taking up painting in 1903.
In 1908, after a term in the military working as a librarian, he met and married a gifted Russian painter Sonia Terk, his life-long collaborator and an artist who continued to work on shared ideas long after his death.
Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso developed 'Cubism,' mainly influenced by Tribal Art and the works of Paul Cezanne.
The key concept of 'Cubism' was based on the belief that the essence of an object can only be captured by showing it from the multiple points of view simultaneously.
Robert found his initial influences in 'Neo-Impressionism,' 'Fauvism,' and 'Cubism.
' A chance meeting with Cézanne greatly influenced Delaunay for life.
His color experiments combined fragmented 'Cubist' forms with dynamic movement and vibrant color.
The introduction of bright colors to 'Cubism' came to be known as 'Orphism.
' Delaunay's new, color oriented art movement marked his work from that of the other orthodox 'Cubist' painters.
Delaunay prophesized that light could be expressed as pure color, independent of any objective content.
In effect, 'Orphism' was a blend of evolved 'Abstraction' and 'Cubism.
' In 1911, Delaunay joined The Blue Rider (Der Blaue Reiter), a German group of 'Abstract' artists.
In 1913, Delaunay painted his Disc images, which were the first 'Abstract' pictures, a French painted.
Delaunay painted the Eiffel Tower at least 30 times, resembling somewhat to the Red Eiffel Tower, tinged with 'Anthropomorphism.
' There were other emblems of his modern fine prints, like the "Birch-and-Canvas Aircraft," made as homage to Bleriot, the "Pioneer of Flying," and "The Cardiff Team" (joyously leaping rugby players) series (1913).
Robert's "Saint-Severin" (1909-10) and "The City" (1909-11) displayed rhythmically disrupted or patterned forms in increasingly vivid colors.
The prolific painter was exhibiting by 1904, in 1906 at the Salon d'Automne, and from 1904 until World War I at the Salon des Indépendants.
In 1912, Robert had his first one-man show in Paris and Zurich, displaying the "City of Paris.
" Delaunay spent most of his life in Spain and Portugal during World War-I and befriended Russian ballet artists.
He decorated for the "Ballets Russes" in 1918, returning to Paris in 1920.
In 1922, he exhibited his works at Galerie Paul Guillaume.
In 1924, he worked on his Runner paintings and designed frescoes for the Palais de l'Ambassade de France, in 1925.
In 1930, Robert became a member of the Abstraction-Creation Group in Paris.
In 1937, he received commission to decorate the "Palais des Chemins de Fer and Palais de l'Air" at the Paris World's Fair.
The post war period of his life produced very little in the terms of quality art and is considered a period of regression.
His last works included the decorations of the "Sculpture Hall of the Salon des Tuileries" (1938).
Delaunay died of cancer on October 25, 1941, in Montpellier, France.