Untitled, 1945

In 1912, coal miner Augustin Lesage was compelled “by powerful spirits” to paint and draw. Over the subsequent four decades, he created an astounding body of work featuring symmetrical, highly-detailed paintings that combine Ancient Egyptian motifs, architectural imagery, and mediumistic repetition. Untitled is a wonderful example of Lesage’s large-scale abstracted compositions, and its bright, detailed patterns evoke an almost meditative state within the viewer and hint at Lesage’s role as a medium as well as an artist.