Was Cubism Revolutionary
Was Cubism a revolutionary art; discuss with reference to the power of the primitive and Cubist Collage in the work of Picasso and Braque.
Word Count: 1,683
Introduction
Was Cubism revolutionary? To answer this question we must first look at Cubism as an avant-garde art movement. Here I will describe the elements that make a Cubist painting and discuss the artists behind the movement. Secondly we will look at Primitivism and its influence within Cubism. This is a way to tease out the conditions behind Cubism’s invention. Finally we will examine Cubist collage, a period in Cubism that changed how art was seen.
Cubism
Cubism was an avant-garde art movement of the early 20th century that revolutionised visual art of the time. Its pioneers, Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, believed previous art movements did not paint realistic works, depicting the world from just one viewpoint. They stepped away from the principles that had been established since the Renaissance and began to paint representations of objects through multiple perspectives, aiding the visual form with ideological views. They redefined the notion of form and space, mixing the two to create works that resemble the subject, but urged the viewer to use their imagination to see the narrative.
. . . there was one drawback in this method of building up the image of an object. . . .It can be done only with more or less familiar forms. Those who look at the picture must know what. . . (the subject) . . . looks like to be able to relate the various fragments in the picture to each other. (Gombrich, 2010, p.574)
Figure 2 Les Grandes Baigneuses 1894-1905
Figure 2 Les Grandes Baigneuses 1894-1905
Picasso began the introduction of Cubism with a painting known as Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in 1907 (Figure 1). This painting highlighted Picasso’s interest in Primitivism (see chapter 2) and illustrated the influence of French artist Cezanne with his painting Les Grandes Baigneuses from
Word Count: 1,683
Introduction
Was Cubism revolutionary? To answer this question we must first look at Cubism as an avant-garde art movement. Here I will describe the elements that make a Cubist painting and discuss the artists behind the movement. Secondly we will look at Primitivism and its influence within Cubism. This is a way to tease out the conditions behind Cubism’s invention. Finally we will examine Cubist collage, a period in Cubism that changed how art was seen.
Cubism
Cubism was an avant-garde art movement of the early 20th century that revolutionised visual art of the time. Its pioneers, Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, believed previous art movements did not paint realistic works, depicting the world from just one viewpoint. They stepped away from the principles that had been established since the Renaissance and began to paint representations of objects through multiple perspectives, aiding the visual form with ideological views. They redefined the notion of form and space, mixing the two to create works that resemble the subject, but urged the viewer to use their imagination to see the narrative.
. . . there was one drawback in this method of building up the image of an object. . . .It can be done only with more or less familiar forms. Those who look at the picture must know what. . . (the subject) . . . looks like to be able to relate the various fragments in the picture to each other. (Gombrich, 2010, p.574)
Figure 2 Les Grandes Baigneuses 1894-1905
Figure 2 Les Grandes Baigneuses 1894-1905
Picasso began the introduction of Cubism with a painting known as Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in 1907 (Figure 1). This painting highlighted Picasso’s interest in Primitivism (see chapter 2) and illustrated the influence of French artist Cezanne with his painting Les Grandes Baigneuses from
References: * Altieri, C. (1984). Picasso’s Collages and the force of Cubism. Kenyon Review [online], 6(2), available: http://www.library.itcarlow.ie [accessed 18 Mar, 2013] * Edwards, S. (2004). Cubist collage. In: Edwards, S. and Wood, P., eds., Art of the Avant-Gardes. London: Yale University Press, pp. 185-226 * Gaiger, J. (2004). Approaches to Cubism. In: Edwards, S. and Wood, P., eds., Art of the Avant-Gardes. London: Yale University Press, pp. 135-155 * Gambrich, E.H. (2010). The Story of Art, 16th ed., London: Phaidon Press * Hughes, R. (1991). The Shock of the New, 2nd ed., London: Thames and Hudson Ltd * Ratnum, N. (2004). Dusty mannequins in modern art and primitivism. In: Edwards, S. and Wood, P., eds., Art of the Avant-Gardes. London: Yale University Press, pp. 157-183