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Vertical and Diagonal Planes

ca. 1913–14
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 965
Born in Bohemia, Kupka was active in Paris for much of his career. He created his first abstract works in 1911, combining his interests in Cubism, Czech folk art, light, vision, and philosophy. These radical paintings were among the first purely nonrepresentational works produced in Europe. Here, rectilinear geometric forms in saturated colors interlock to suggest multiple potential applications, such as stained glass, textile design, or a folding screen.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Vertical and Diagonal Planes
  • Artist: František Kupka (Czech, Opočno 1871–1957 Paris)
  • Date: ca. 1913–14
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 24 × 19 3/4 in. (61 × 50.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Joseph H. Hazen Foundation Inc., 1971
  • Object Number: 1971.111
  • Rights and Reproduction: © 2026 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

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Syncopated Black Disks, František Kupka Czech, Gouache and graphite on paper
Syncopated Black Disks
František Kupka
1930–33
Miniature Violin, Spruce, maple, Czech
Miniature Violin
Czech
early 20th century
Burgomaster Jan van Duren (1613–1687), Gerard ter Borch the Younger Dutch, Oil on canvas
Burgomaster Jan van Duren (1613–1687)
Gerard ter Borch the Younger
ca. 1666–67
Young Sailor II, Henri Matisse French, Oil on canvas
Young Sailor II
Henri Matisse
1906
Study for "Four Stories in Black and White", František Kupka Czech, Gouache with graphite on paper mounted on paper
Study for "Four Stories in Black and White"
František Kupka
1925

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