Cubism Study Guide

Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement pioneered by Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, and later joined by Juan Gris. The concept developed in Du "Cubisme" of observing a subject from different points in space and time simultaneously.

Cubism has been considered the most influential art movement of the 20th century. In Cubism, objects are broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form—instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context.

Picasso became recognized as the inventor of Cubism. The Demoiselles is generally referred to as the first Cubist picture. This is an exaggeration, although it was a first step towards Cubism it is not yet Cubist.

The Salon Cubists used the faceted treatment of solid and space of multiple viewpoints, blurring the distinctions between past, present and future. The subject was no longer considered from a specific point of view at a moment in time as if viewed simultaneously from numerous angles with the eye free to roam from one to the other.

Cubist sculpture developed in parallel to Cubist painting. Architectural interest in Cubism centered on the dissolution and reconstitution of three-dimensional form, using simple geometric shapes, juxtaposed without the illusions of classical perspective. The first true Cubist sculpture was Picasso's ~ Woman's Head

Cubist works stressed the use of multiple perspective and complex planar faceting for expressive effect while preserving the eloquence of subject.

images

Duchamp, Two views of 'The Large Horse’

Jean Metzinger ~ Nature Morte

Jean Metzinger ~ Sailboats

Pablo Picasso, Woman's Head, Head of a Woman

Le Corbusier ~ Heidi Weber Museum

Picasso ~ Ambroise Vollard

Picasso ~ Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Gris ~ Portrait of Picasso

Gris - Bottle and Knife

Braque ~ Houses at L'Estaque

Braque ~ violin and pitcher

Duchamp – Figure Descending a Staircase