The Town

Close up of The Town

Abstract painting in the mid-century modern style presents a cityscape in whites, blacks, and neutral tones. A complex arrangement of small rectangles form a series of architectural patterns conveying the feel and excitement of a bustling town.
Abstract painting in the mid-century modern style presents a cityscape in whites, blacks, and neutral tones. A complex arrangement of small rectangles form a series of architectural patterns conveying the feel and excitement of a bustling town.
Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, The Town, 1955; Oil on canvas, 39 1/2 x 31 3/4 x 1 1/2 in.; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay; © 2005 Artists Rights Society (ARS)/ADAGP, Paris

With its irregular and atmospheric grids and brushwork, The Town illustrates the changes that took place in Maria Helena Vieira da Silva’s paintings in the early 1950s. Her early works feature clearly defined squares and rectangles, which are arranged in precise matrices reminiscent of the tilework associated with her native Portugal. But the lines and lozenge-shaped brushstrokes in The Town appear to shimmer and move within the implied pictorial space.

The titles of Vieira da Silva’s paintings—most often referencing cities, seasons, weather, or elements of the natural landscape—suggest that her images are abstractions of particular sights she encountered. In fact, she selected titles only after paintings were finished, often following suggestions made by friends. Vieira da Silva never intended to represent reality. Rather, she sought to add a dimension to temporal experiences. She stated: “I want to paint what is not there as though it existed.”

Vieira da Silva was a leading figure within the field of expressive abstraction in post-war Paris, where she lived and worked for nearly 60 years. She ascribed to a formalistic and highly intuitive painting process, concentrating intently on the arrangement of line, shape, and color.

She began her paintings by creating what she called a “skeleton”: a matrix of lines painted lightly on a white canvas. By studying these marks, she determined what to add next, and each mark required further analysis before another was added. Consequently, Vieira da Silva completed relatively few paintings (usually around 10) each year.

Artwork Details

  • Artist

    Maria Helena Vieira da Silva
  • Title

    The Town
  • Date

    1955
  • Medium

    Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions

    39 1/2 x 31 3/4 in.
  • Donor Credit

    Gift of Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay
  • Photo Credit

    © 2005 Artists Rights Society (ARS)/ADAGP, Paris
  • On Display

    No