C Octaves - Reflections 45 — Acrylic on Paper by Arnaud Quercy

About This Artwork

This painting translates a piano étude into color. Arnaud Quercy maps the C Octaves chord — C1, C3, D4, A5 — as a chromatic sequence moving from red toward gray. The work belongs to the Octaves series within the Harmonic Crossing collection, which explores the relationship between musical harmony and color through cycle of fifths mapping.

Warm rose-gray tones spread across the majority of the surface, establishing a muted ground that reads as the upper register of the chord. Against this, a large firebrick-red form rises from the lower left, its curved edge defined by a clean black outline. The red shape is substantial — it anchors the composition and carries the lower harmonic weight of C1. Burnt sienna and russet tones occupy the transition zones where red meets the surrounding warm gray, creating a visible gradient between the two registers. A vertical black band runs along the left edge, and a pale cream area appears at the upper left corner, providing the lightest point in the composition. The palette moves consistently from warm near-black at the left through orange-red at center to muted rose-gray across the right and upper areas.

The work measures 18 × 13 cm on paper, painted in acrylic, and weighs 0.1 kg. It carries certificate number 20261002-0166. The painting was created on 2 October 2026 at the Rue du Dragon studio in Paris. It was first exhibited at Les Portes du Dragon — Portes ouvertes de la galerie-atelier Art Quam Anima, held at Art Quam Anima, Paris, from 2 to 4 October 2026. The work is currently available.