Cubism

Themes:

Sought to deconstruct reality by using geometric designs as visual stimuli to re-create reality in the viewer’s mind

Influences: African art (esp. tribal

masks) Micronesian art Native American art

Styles Analytical Cubism Period from 1910-1912  breaking down or analysis of form Right angle and straight lines Simplified color schemes Complex, multiple views of object Forms generally compact and dense in the

center growing larger towards the edges

Synthetic Cubism After 1912 Emphasis on combination or synthesis of forms

in picture Color extremely important in shapes Smooth and rough surfaces contrast with each

other Frequently non-painted objects such as

newspapers or tobacco wrappers are pasted on canvas and combined with painted areas

Emphasis on differences in textures What is reality and what is illusion  

Techniques • Emphasized the flat, 2D surface of the

picture plane• rejected traditional techniques (perspective,

foreshortening, modeling, and chiaroscuro• showed fragmented objects• cubist paintings showed letters, musical

instruments, bottles, pitchers, glasses, newspapers, still lifes, and the human face/figure

• analytical cubism (1910-1912)- paintings during this time portrayed breaking down/analysis of form, right angles and straight lines- colors were simple (tans, browns, blacks, grays, creams) to distract people from the primary interest the structure of form which are compact and dense

• synthetic cubism (after 1912)- emphasizes the blend of forms. colors are very important because they are larger and more decorative- had both smooth and rough surfaces including non-painted objects were put on the canvas (newspapers and tobacco wrappers) - stressed differences in texture and questioned what reality really was

Bread and Fruit Dish on a Table – Picasso

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso• One of the

founders of Cubism

Les Demoiselles d' Avignon

Portrait of Ambroise Vollard

George Braque

George Braque• Another founder of

Cubism

House at L'Estaque

Violin and Pitcher

Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse• Influenced by Henri

Matisse

Connections

• Like Freud and Nietzsche, Cubist artists rejected rationalism