Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944)Points, 1920, Oil on canvas, 43 7/16 × 36 1/8 in (110.3 × 91.8 cm)
A RECURRING IDEA
A motif is an element in a composition or design that can be used repeatedly for decorative, structural, or iconographic purposes. A motif can be representational or abstract, and it can be endowed with symbolic meaning. Motifs can be repeated in multiple artworks and often recur throughout the life’s work of an individual artist.
• Decorative
The motif as an individual element is repeated within a strict geometry to form a decorative whole. This is most usually the case in textile or wallpaper design.
• Structural
A motif is repeated within a composition to create or reinforce a stable structure. The Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) used a variety of abstract motifs, triangles, points, lines, and circles to construct numerous compositions. A somewhat different approach was pursued by Claude Monet (1840–1926) when he did paintings in series. He used repeated motifs to provide a stable structure within which he could explore the changing effects of light on an individual subject. Thus one series features a group of haystacks, another features a particular view of Rouen Cathedral, and yet another, a line of poplar trees.
• Symbolic
A motif is given symbolic significance and then deployed as part of a composition to carry a precise meaning. For example, in Christian art, a lamb generally signifies Christ. Symbolic motifs may also be more personal and harder to interpret. The German artist Max Beckmann (1884–1950) used a recurring set of motifs throughout his life, including horns, masked faces, and crowns. Their exact meaning is not clear.
• Narrative
A motif is given a particular meaning within a narrative context and then reused to carry the narrative forward. This is usually used in works that show multiple scenes within a single setting.
Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944)
Points, 1920, Oil on canvas, 43 7/16 × 36 1/8 in (110.3 × 91.8 cm)
Claude Monet (1840–1926)
Waterloo Bridge, London, at Dusk, 1904, Oil on canvas, 25 7/8 × 40 in (65.7 × 101.6 cm)
Claude Monet (1840–1926)
Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset, 1904, Oil on canvas, 25 13/16 × 36 1/2 in (65.6 × 92.7 cm)
Monet paints the same scene under different light conditions. The subject matter becomes a motif.
