Sonia Delaunay was a Jewish artist who moved to Paris in 1905 and married fellow artist, Robert Delaunay, in 1910. Together, they developed a new type of Cubism that would later be named Orphism. This term was first used in 1912 by the poet Guillaume Apollinaire in order to describe Robert Delaunay's paintings. It was derived from Greek mythology, referencing the legendary poet and singer, Orpheus, who was a popular symbol of the ideal artist. Sonia's work is the epitome of the techniques favored by the movement she helped create.
Similarities to Cubism
Like Cubism, Orphism was an abstract artistic movement. It was based on non-representational elements, and often had a large focus on geometry. It was meant to push the boundaries of what could be considered art.
Distinctions From Cubism
Orphism, however, was more concerned with appealing to the senses. While Cubist paintings were often monochromatic and had morose subject matter, Orphism's focus was on bringing color and musicality to their work. More often than not, paintings were simply shapes, lines, and splotches of color, but they had a lightheartedness that was supposed to lift the spirits. The Delaunays were particularly interested in experimenting with the "law of simultaneous contrast of colors," which used overlapping planes of contrasting colors to create movement and elicit positive emotional reactions. They explored the effects of color and light through color combinations without binding them to an object.
Common Characteristics of Sonia's Work
While Orphism as a whole was concerned with the use of color, Sonia's color choices were particularly bold, bright and unique. Her designs focused on stripes, zig-zags and concentric geometrical patterns. Occasionally, she would break away from purely abstract paintings and include women in her scenes. Along with painting, she utilized drawing, embroidery, stenciling and sewing in her work.
Sonia Delaunay Brings Orphism to Fashion
During the 1920s, Sonia Delaunay began to expand her artistic boundaries by bringing the same concepts of Orphism to textile design. Hollywood actresses and socialites loved her designs, since the playfulness of her fabrics perfectly mirrored the frivolity of the era.
