Lichtkreise (Kosmischer Regenbogen) - Otto Freundlich

A study in colour and light, this abstract work by Otto Freundlich features rhythmic, concentric arches rendered in soft pastel tones.

Otto Freundlich, a significant figure in the development of European abstraction, produced this work during a period of intense experimentation with colour theory and geometric form. The composition, titled Lichtkreise (Kosmischer Regenbogen), translates to Light Circles (Cosmic Rainbow). It features a series of concentric, arched bands that suggest a rhythmic, celestial movement. Freundlich rejected the traditional representation of objects, preferring to explore the internal logic of colour relationships and the emotional resonance of pure form.

In this piece, the artist employs a soft, chalky application of pastel, which allows the colours to bleed into one another at their edges. This technique creates a sense of luminosity, as if the forms are emitting light from within. The palette is carefully balanced, moving from deep, grounding tones of black and dark blue into warmer, lighter hues of yellow and orange. The arched shapes echo one another, creating a sense of repetition that guides the eye across the surface of the paper.

Freundlich was associated with the Abstraction-Création group in Paris, which sought to promote non-figurative art as a universal language. His work often reflects a belief in the spiritual potential of abstract art, where the interaction of colour and shape communicates ideas beyond the physical realm. By focusing on the interplay of these curved segments, the artist invites the viewer to consider the relationship between light, space, and human perception. This print captures the texture and delicate layering of the original pastel medium, preserving the soft transitions between the coloured bands. It is an example of the artist's pursuit of harmony through geometric structure, stripped of narrative or representational clutter.