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Analysis of the painting "The Blank Page" by René Magritte

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The rational geometric order of Composition VIII is a polar opposite of Composition VII (1913). Painted while teaching at the Bauhaus, this work illustrates how Kandinsky synthesised elements of suprematism, constructivism and the school's own style. By combining aspects of all three movements, he arrived at the planes of colour and the clear, linear quality seen in this work. The form, as opposed to colour, structured the painting in a dynamic balance that pulses across the canvas. This work is an expression of Kandinsky's ideas about modern and non-objective art, especially the meaning of shapes such as triangles, circles and qBy placing a bright circle strategically in the top centre of the composition, Magritte plays with the viewer's imagination. The glowing circle floats in the night sky, but appears in front of a tree branch, suggesting that it is in fact a ripe fruit and not a full moon. Magritte creates a figure with a dual identity: depending on the viewer's perception, the glowing circle serves different functions. Magritte balances this layered composition beautifully, placing a city at the bottom of the composition and the tree branch at the top. The work conveys a sense of quiet calm, as if the viewer can almost hear the crickets singing in the dead of night.