Broken Circle - Richards Ruben

A striking abstract composition by Richards Ruben, featuring a bold interplay between a luminous lime green centre and heavy, dark violet forms.

Richards Ruben, an American painter associated with the mid-century abstract movement, produced works that prioritise the physical application of paint and the interaction of colour fields. Broken Circle is a representative example of his approach to non-representational composition. The work features a central, luminous field of lime green, which is encroached upon by heavy, dark violet forms. These violet shapes appear to frame or interrupt the central space, creating a tension between the background and the foreground elements. The application of paint is gestural and direct. Ruben avoids fine detail, opting instead for broad, sweeping brushstrokes that define the boundaries of the colour blocks. The edges where the violet meets the green are not perfectly sharp, suggesting a layering process where one colour has been worked into or over another. This technique provides a sense of depth despite the lack of traditional perspective or representational subject matter. Ruben was active during a period when American painting was shifting away from the rigid structures of earlier modernism. His work reflects an interest in the emotional capacity of colour and the raw materiality of the medium. By limiting the palette to two primary contrasting tones, he forces the viewer to engage with the spatial relationship between the shapes. The title, Broken Circle, suggests a geometric origin that has been dismantled or obscured by the artist's expressive handling of the paint. The resulting image is one of balance and imbalance, where the dark, heavy forms exert pressure on the lighter, more expansive centre. This print captures the texture and the specific chromatic intensity of the original oil painting, providing a clear view of the artist's technique and his focus on the fundamental elements of abstract composition.