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Spring Veils

Edna Andrade American
1973
Not on view
Interested in exploring the expressive potential of logical systems and inspired by the mathematics of the environment, Andrade — best known as a progenitor of the Op Art movement — used geometry and color to create abstract interpretations of organic ratios, biological systems, and natural rhythms. The surface of Spring Veils is covered with a series of vertical, undulating stripes that mimic the movement of rippling water. From left to right, these forms slowly transition from shades of pastel gray to soft browns. Down the center of the canvas runs a row of seven luminescent golden orbs; the intensity of their hue contrasts with the painting’s subtle background, making them appear to float in space. However, rather than simply tricking the eye, the painting presents a harmonious, meditative surface that draws inspiration from nature as well as 19th-century color theories, Orphic Cubism, and the Bauhaus.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Spring Veils
  • Artist: Edna Andrade (American, Portsmouth, Virginia 1917–2008 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Date: 1973
  • Medium: Acrylic on canvas
  • Dimensions: 96 × 96 in. (243.8 × 243.8 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Locks Gallery, on behalf of the Estate of Edna Andrade, 2017
  • Object Number: 2017.695
  • Rights and Reproduction: © Edna Andrade
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

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