Peinture (Etoile Bleue) (1927)

During his career, the Spanish artist Joan Miró, who mostly worked in the Dada, Experimental, and Surrealist movements, also created a number of well-known Abstract paintings. Despite having a stronger connection to surrealism, Miró created a number of well-known pieces that were thought to have influenced the emergence of abstract painting. His Peinture (Etoile Bleue) was one of these paintings, painted in 1927.

This piece of art is fascinating since it shows Miró's journey from figurative to abstract art. It takes a while to figure out what the painting's genuine subject matter is. However, most viewers will comment that they might still not fully grasp what Miró is attempting to portray after watching it for a few minutes.

The two patches of bright blue and red, as well as the thin black lines that appear to be doodling, become more visible against the blazing blue background. A pink splotch may be seen in the painting's center, sandwiched between its spiraling black lines. The fact that no clear images or recognizable figures can emerge despite the confluence of lines and color flecks shows how truly abstract this piece of art is.

Miró was able to produce an outstanding image of visual intensity in Peinture (Etoile Bleue), with this artwork taking on a surreal quality. This painting's intense blue was described by Miró as the "color of [his] dreams," underscoring the phantasmagorical and surreal impression that can be experienced when looking at it. According to Miró, he simply painted the images he saw in his thoughts as he was painting.

This comment underscored the fact that, because the subject matter he painted was chosen from his own imagination, physically recognizable references could not always be identified within his paintings. Miró frequently painted while having hallucinations and using drugs. He was a Surrealist artist. Thus, Peinture (Etoile Bleue), while existing as a well-known work of Abstract art in and of itself, is a result of Miró's irrational method of producing art.

Other Abstract painters like Mark Rothko and Yves Klein were influenced by Miró's use of color, particularly the vivid blue. In addition to having a significant impact, Miró's Peinture (Etoile Bleue), which sold for £23.5 million in 2012, went on to become his most expensive painting ever.

Artist: Joan Miró (1893 – 1983)
Date Painted: 1927
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 115.5 cm x 89 cm (45 5/8 in x 35 in)
Where It Is Currently Housed: Private collection