Cubism

Cubism
c.1907c. 1914
Stages of Cubism…
• Analytic Cubism (1908–11)
• Synthetic Cubism (1912–24)
Analytic Cubism:
• Objects are shown from many viewpoints at
once so that solid forms are shattered.
• They become fractured, geometric shapes
compressed into a sliver of space and flattened
against the canvas.
• Space is treated as if it were a solid, tangible
mass.
• Confusion is enhanced because colour is
removed and everything is painted in browns
and greys with a few fragmented black outlines.
• Addition of stenciled text towards the end of
Analytic Cubism.
Synthetic Cubism:
• Was developed c.1912
• Colour was re-introduced with two technical
innovations called papier collé and collage.
– Papier collé involves sticking coloured paper onto the
canvas and was invented by Braque.
– Collage was subsequently developed by Picasso and
involved including all kinds of material such as
newspaper or fabric in the painting. Both techniques
bridged the gap between art and life by sticking bits of
the real world onto the canvas.
• They also drew attention to the fact that a
painting it is a flat object and blurred the line
between painting and sculpture.
Cubist Artists
Main Players
• Pablo Picasso
• Georges Braque
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Followers
(after c.1910)
Juan Gris
Robert Delaunay
Marcel Duchamp
Le Fauconnier
Metzinger
Influences…
Cézanne had a huge
retrospective of his
work in Paris, 1907 –
seen by Picasso.
Braque already
working in l'Estaque
region.
The Basics behind Cubism…
• On the left and right
are two different
perspectives of the
cube at the top.
• On the bottom is a
combination of the
two perspectives,
producing a strangelooking geometric
form.
Pablo Picasso
‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’, 1907
George Braque
‘House at L'Estaque’ 1908
"M. Braque scorns form and reduces
everything, sites, figures and houses, to
geometric schemas and cubes.”
Louis Vauxcelles on the opening of the
Salon d’Automne, 1908.
Georges Braque
‘Landscape at La Ciotat [ Paysage
à La Ciotat]’, Summer 1907
Pablo Picasso
‘Three Women’, 1907
George Braque
‘Large Nude’, 1908
Georges Braque
‘Viaduct at L'Estaque’
[Paris, early 1908]
Pablo Picasso
‘Three Women’, 1907-1908
Georges Braque
Fruit Dish [Paris, Winter] 1908-09
Pablo Picasso
‘Seated Woman (Seated Nude)’,
1909
Georges Braque
‘Roche Guyon’, 1909
Pablo Picasso
‘Reservoir at Horta’
Horta de Ebro, Summer 1909
Georges Braque
‘Violin and Palette’, Autumn 1909
Pablo Picasso
‘Portrait of David-Henry
Kahnweiler’, 1910
Georges Braque
‘Bottle and Fishes’
[L'Estaque, autumn 1910]
Pablo Picasso
‘The Guitar Player’, 1910
Pablo Picasso
‘Portrait of Wilhelm Uhde’, 1910
Pablo Picasso
‘Ambroise Voilard’, 1910
Georges Braque
‘Piano and Mandola (Piano et
mandore)’, winter 1909–10 ’
Georges Braque
‘Le Portugais’, 1911
Pablo Picasso
‘Ma Jolie’, 1911
Pablo Picasso
‘Accordionist’, 1911
George Braque
‘Le Gueridon’, 1911
Albert Gleizes
‘Paysage’, 1911
Juan Gris
‘Jar, Bottle and Glass’, 1911
Jean Metzinger
‘Aldeia’, 1912
Georges Braque
‘Still Life with a Violin’, Autumn 1912
Pablo Picasso
‘Still Life with Chair-Caning’
Paris, [May] 1912
Pablo Picasso
‘Student with Pipe’, 1913
Pablo Picasso
‘Violin and Guitar’, 1913
Juan Gris
‘L’Homme au Café’, 1912
Juan Gris
‘Glass of Beer and Playing Cards’
1913
Pablo Picasso
‘Pipe, Glass, Bottle of Vieux Marc’,
Spring 1914
Juan Gris
‘Breakfast’, 1914
Georges Braque
‘Woman with Guitar’, 1914
Juan Gris
‘Still-Life (Fantomas)’, 1915
Juan Gris
‘Still Life in Front of an Open
Window: Place Ravignan’, 1915
Juan Gris
‘Glasses and Newspaper’, 1914
Juan Gris
‘Mandolin’, 1919
Léger and Delaunay
A little distraction….
Robert Delaunay
Eiffel Tower Series, 1910-11
Fernand Léger
‘The Smokers’,1911-1912
Fernand Léger
‘Contrasting Forms’,1913
And Finally…
• 1924 marks the end of the Cubist Epoch –
although Gris remained a Cubist until his
death – even though is health faded.
• Braque’s work was too personal for any
category.
• Picasso moves into a more surreal phase
through his ‘Three Dancers’ painting.