The piano (1920)

Dated 1920, "The piano" is an artwork by Georges Valmier. Abstract, a short history: It emerged in the early twentieth century, when several artists in Europe and Russia developed non-representational painting during the 1910s. Abstract art moves away from depicting recognisable objects and relies on colour, line, shape, and surface instead. Historical background, 1920: Posters, magazines, and illustrated books were major ways for the public to meet new art and design. The first decades of the twentieth century were a period of rapid experiment, with Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, and the first abstract painting appearing within a few years of each other. It is listed in the Abstract collection. The image is in landscape orientation.

Buying "The piano" means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size.

French, 1885–1937

If you like the visual language of Georges Valmier, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.