B Major - Variations 10 — Acrylic on Paper by Arnaud Quercy

About This Artwork

This acrylic painting translates the B Major triad into visual form through chromesthetic mapping, converting the chord tones B, D#, and F# into their corresponding colors using the circle of fifths. Working on twenty-one by twenty-one centimeter paper, the piece presents the harmonic character of B Major as a structured arrangement of yellow-green, blue-violet, and green — the three colors assigned to this chord's fundamental, major third, and fifth.

Yellow-green tones fill much of the composition, appearing as a prominent rounded form in the upper-center area and extending into adjacent geometric sections. Blue-violet occupies the right side and portions of the upper register, creating a cool counterpoint to the warmer greens. A bright green rectangle anchors the lower-right quadrant, while a white curved shape nestles between the green and yellow-green fields. Darker gray-green tones ground the left side and lower portions, giving the composition weight and contrast. The geometric forms — rectangles, curves, and overlapping planes — organize these chord colors into a balanced arrangement that reflects the open, spread voicing of the triad across a keyboard.

As Variation 10 in the Research on Harmony series within the Synesthetic Explorations collection, this piece continues an ongoing practice of translating harmonic relationships into visual form. Each variation serves as a direct study focused on the essential character of a specific chord. The compact square format concentrates the color relationships into a contained space, rewarding close viewing to appreciate how the three chord tones interact across the surface.

The work includes certificate of authenticity number 20251123-0074 and bears the artist's signature at the lower right. This piece is part of a private collection in Zurich, Switzerland.