Ab Major - Variation 1 — Acrylic on Canvas by Arnaud Quercy

About This Artwork

This acrylic painting translates the Ab Major triad into visual form through chromesthetic mapping, a method that assigns specific colors to musical notes based on the circle of fifths. The Ab Major chord consists of three notes — Ab, C, and Eb — which appear here as blue, red, and blue-violet. Created as part of the Synesthetic Explorations collection, the work treats harmony as a visual subject, reducing the chord to its essential color relationships on canvas.

Blue and blue-violet tones fill most of the composition, covering the background and a large rounded form on the right side of the canvas. A tall red-orange rectangle rises on the left, providing sharp contrast against the surrounding cool tones. A small red-orange circle sits above, while a deep violet-black area anchors the lower portion. A narrow cyan accent and a pale white passage appear near the center, adding subtle breaks in the otherwise concentrated palette. The vertical format of the forty by fifty centimeter canvas organizes these geometric forms into a spare, open arrangement where each color holds a distinct position.

As Variation 1 in the Research on Harmony sub-series within the Synesthetic Explorations collection, this piece represents the first study of the Ab Major chord. The cool temperature of the composition reflects the chord's character — predominantly built on flat notes that map to the blue and violet range of the chromesthetic system. The red-orange element, representing the note C, provides the single warm voice within the triad, standing out against the surrounding cool field.

The work includes certificate of authenticity number 20240602-0104 and is signed by the artist at the lower right.