ROBERT DELAUNAY 1885-1941

Born in Paris in 1885, Robert Delaunay began his artistic career at a very young age as a self-taught painter, following a brief stint in a theatrical set design studio. By the age of 20, he was already exhibiting at avant-garde Salons, including the Salon des Indépendants, and quickly integrated into the Parisian artistic circles that foreshadowed the 20th-century avant-garde. He worked in various studios across Paris and its suburbs, including Belleville, and later maintained a personal studio in Montparnasse, though he was never a resident of communal spaces like La Ruche. However, he fully shared the spirit of experimentation that animated Montparnasse and the École de Paris, alongside artists from across the globe.

Starting in 1910, he broke away from Cubism to develop a distinct style based on color and the dynamism of form, this marked the birth of Orphism, a movement he developed alongside his wife, Sonia Delaunay. Together, they explored the power of color, light, and movement in a form of painting oriented toward urban modernity: the Eiffel Tower, windows, and the transforming cityscape became recurring motifs. Delaunay’s studio evolved into a true laboratory of light and visual rhythm, where painters, poets, and musicians converged.

At times on the periphery of the artist collectives typically associated with the School of Paris, Robert Delaunay nonetheless shared their spirit of experimentation and freedom, playing a crucial role in the recognition of abstract art in France. His vibrant painting marked a turning point in lyrical abstraction and had a profound influence on the European avant-garde.

Today, Robert Delaunay is an artist whose legacy endures in the world's most prestigious modern art collections. He is also presented by HELENE BAILLY gallery, which highlights his work and his profound impact on abstraction.