It was František Kupka’s move to Paris in 1896 that fundamentally changed his artistic outlook and practice. Here he became exposed to Neo-Impressionism, followed by Fauvism and eventually Futurism, and he fully immersed himself in the myriad of cultural and artistic influences. Inspired by the Fauve use of bold colour and loose application of pigment, Kupka implemented their groundshifting ideas to further explore the relationship between colour and form. The artist considered himself a ‘colour symphonist’ and felt a strong connection between individual colours and their ability to resonate with particular emotions. As a result, Kupka’s body of work became increasingly symbolic and non-representational around 1909, using colour to create new harmonies and rhythms to express his inner state.

Marinetti’s publication of the Futurist manifesto that same year and the movement’s focus on capturing motion and speed, especially in modern day life, encouraged Kupka to finally move into abstraction. This final shift in artistic practice is beautifully captured in the present work which showcases Kupka’s depiction of dynamic movement and radiant force. The concentric circles create a sense of movement in space as well as a dynamic upward thrust, a motif inspired by the artist’s interest in the cosmos and cosmology.