Artwork
Football. L'Équipe de Cardiff
Football. L'Équipe de Cardiff is an oil painting by Robert Delaunay. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Robert Delaunay’s 1916 work titled Football. L’Équipe de Cardiff is a painted composition executed on wood. The piece belongs to the museum’s modern art collection and is currently displayed at the Museum of Modern Art. It reflects Delaunay’s engagement with contemporary urban motifs during the First World War period.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a bustling scene that includes recognizable landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and a Ferris wheel, alongside a commercial advertisement. These elements together evoke the lively atmosphere of early twentieth‑century public entertainment and sport, suggesting a celebration of modern leisure activities.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on a wooden panel, the work demonstrates Delaunay’s characteristic use of vivid color and dynamic composition. The flat surface of the wood supports his exploration of geometric forms and rhythmic patterns, aligning the piece with his broader experiments in Orphism and the abstraction of urban life.
History & Provenance
Created in the midst of World War I, the painting entered the Museum of Modern Art’s collection through acquisition in the mid‑twentieth century. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s estate, reflecting the museum’s commitment to preserving key examples of early modernist experimentation.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Robert Delaunay was a French artist of the School of Paris movement; who, with his wife Sonia Delaunay and others, co-founded the Orphism art movement, noted for its use of strong colours and geometric shapes.
