Saint-Séverin No. 3 (1909-1910)

Welcome to the serene and somewhat enigmatic world of "Saint-Séverin No. 3" created by the visionary Robert Delaunay during the years 1909-1910. This painting captures the gothic ambience of the Saint-Séverin church, one of the oldest churches on the Left Bank in Paris, long admired for its stunning stained glass and intricate stone interiors.Delaunay’s depiction is not merely architectural; it’s a deep dive into the abstract and rhythmic qualities of the church’s form. He utilizes a palette dominated by blues and greens, providing a cool, almost mystical atmosphere to the interior of the church. The strong curves of the arches and the elongated forms create a sense of movement, almost as if the structure itself is in a subtle, continuous flux.The arches bend and stretch, reaching towards the heavens, guiding the viewer’s eyes upward and forward through the darkened church corridor. The play of light and shadow hints at the spiritual or otherworldly experience one might encounter within this sacred space.In "Saint-Séverin No. 3," Delaunay is not just a painter but a master of perspective and abstraction. He invites us to see the familiar in an entirely new way, exploring the spiritual essence and architectural beauty of Saint-Séverin through a lens that borders on the surreal. This painting is a remarkable demonstration of how early modern artists like Delaunay began to push the boundaries of how urban and ecclesiastical environments were depicted in art, paving the way for future explorations in form and color that would come to characterize much of 20th-century art.