Lyonel Feininger's 'Sailboats': A Cubist Masterpiece at the Detroit Institute of Arts

Created in 1929, 'Sailboats' is a notable artwork by Lyonel Feininger, an American artist who predominantly lived in Germany. Feininger, who was the inaugural instructor at the Bauhaus School upon its establishment in 1919, taught alongside luminaries like Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky. While he adhered to Precisionism, a variant of Cubism known as Synthetic Cubism, 'Sailboats' showcases a more vibrant and romantic style, characterized by bright colors and distinct lines influenced by Robert Delaunay, whom he encountered during his studies in Paris. His distinctive triangular fragmentation in this piece differentiates him from other Precisionists. Feininger remained at the Bauhaus from 1919 until its closure in 1933 due to the rise of the Nazis. His works, deemed inferior by Adolf Hitler, were included in the 1937 Degenerate Art Exhibition, although he had already relocated to New York in 1936. Today, 'Sailboats' is celebrated as a masterpiece of early 20th-century art and is housed in the Detroit Institute of Arts.