Sonia and Robert Delaunay: Icons of Modern Art

For me, Sonia and Robert Delaunay are much more than historical figures of modern art. Their work is an ode to freedom of expression, to the constant search for new forms and to a revolutionary use of colour. This iconic couple went beyond the borders of classical art to create a dialogue between abstraction, movement and colour.

Sonia, a passion for colour

Sonia Delaunay was born on 14 November 1885 in Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. From a young age she was drawn to the lively art scene of Paris, where she arrived at about twenty. She threw herself into the avant-garde, nourished by the post-impressionists such as Van Gogh and Gauguin, and captivated by the bold colours of Fauvism. But she did not want to imitate: she wanted to push abstraction and colour further.

A couple, an artistic partnership

Her marriage to Robert Delaunay in 1910 was the start of an extraordinary partnership, as much artistic as romantic. Together they explored new dimensions of art, from painting to stage design and textiles, and later monumental murals for the 1937 International Exhibition in Paris. Their research into colour and movement led the poet Guillaume Apollinaire to coin the term Orphism to describe this new, luminous painting.

Sonia, an artist in her own right

Robert died in 1941. Sonia kept his legacy alive while establishing herself as a major artist in her own right. What inspires me most about her is her resilience in the face of the prejudices of her time: she made a name for herself in an art world dominated by men, while asserting her own style. In 1964, she became the first living woman artist to have her work shown at the Louvre. Her talent for bringing art and design together, especially in her textile creations, shows boundless creativity and a deep love of visual beauty.

Her work is celebrated not only for its brilliance, but for the determination and freedom it embodies. It is a story that echoes my reflection on women artists and the gender divide in art.

And you?

I invite you to rediscover the Delaunays' work. How do you feel in front of this bold fusion of colour and form? What impact do you think they had on modern art? Tell me on WhatsApp, I would love to know.

Let's end on this thought: like Sonia, let's never be afraid to let our inner colours speak. It is what I try to do every day in my own abstract paintings and in my Pop Seventies collection.

Discover more artists with me

In colour,

Lenon B

Contemporary painter, Ericeira, Portugal