Stacked Arches in Burgundy

About this work

Looking closer, the composition is almost all about space. The four shapes sit in a vertical column in the centre, separated by small gaps, and the pale cream paper around them is left open, so each form has room to be seen. At the top a dome-shaped half circle in textured gold leaf catches the light. Below it, a deep burgundy half circle turns the other way, like a bowl, and gives the column its weight. Next comes a rust or terracotta bowl split into a lighter and a darker half, and at the bottom a sand-beige arch, also in two tones. The split halves add a quiet sense of light and shadow. Up close the fine grain of the paper and the texture of the gold come through; from across the room the column reads as a single calm, balanced sign.

Mid-century modern design, roughly the 1950s and 1960s, loved simple geometric shapes set in open space. Posters, record covers, textiles and book jackets of the time often stacked circles, half circles and blocks of flat colour into tidy compositions that could be read at a glance. The aim was clarity: a few forms, a limited palette and plenty of white space. This work follows that language. The half circles are pared back to clean outlines and solid tones, the colours are earthy, and the empty margins matter as much as the shapes. Paired with gold leaf and burgundy, a current interior favourite, the mid-century idea takes on a softer, boho-modern warmth.

The slim central column makes this a good choice for a narrow wall, an entrance hall or the space beside a bed. Off-white, sand and soft terracotta walls suit it, as do pale wood, cane and woven textures. A thin natural oak or white frame keeps the calm, and a generous mat adds to the sense of open space. Hang it at eye level so the gold dome sits just above your gaze. It works well with Squares in Terracotta and Gold, which shares its rust and sand, or beside Ivory Relief with Gold Circles for a quieter, paler pair. Printed at 300 dpi, the image stays clean and sharp up to around 91 cm on the long edge.