The artwork “Gorge” by August Macke, created in 1914, is a landscape rendered in watercolor and is associated with the Orphism art movement. The piece showcases Macke’s exploration of color and abstraction.
In the artwork, there are layers of curved and angled shapes that come together to form a dynamic portrayal of a gorge. The color palette is rich and earth-toned, consisting of various hues of greens, browns, yellows, and hints of pink, suggesting the natural beauty of a rugged landscape. Washes of watercolor create both soft transitions and stark contrasts that depict the depth and contours of the terrain. Towards the top right corner, a structure is perched on the edge of the gorge, further emphasizing the scale and wildness of the scene. The artwork’s abstract quality offers a dreamlike and emotional interpretation of nature, characteristic of Orphism’s emphasis on pure color and form.
