Hannah Jurgens

Pd.7

Compare/Contrast: #126 and #130

The Cubist movement was defined by simple geometric shapes and rejection of prior

standards of photo realism and perspective. Cubist artists tended to break subjects down into

their most plain representation and challenged their viewers to think abstractly; it was an unheard

of concept at the time and renowned art critics mocked it. Two pioneering pieces for the

movement were The Portuguese (1911) by Georges Braque and Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

(1907) by Pablo Picasso. Both oil on canvas works feature traditional subjects (nude figures for

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and still life for The Portuguese) translated into the Cubist style.

They also share neutral-toned palette with splashes of light colors to draw more attention to their

subjects.

At the time of its release to the public, Picassos Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was

regarded as complete and utter garbage by fans and critics alike, even considered the death of

painting by some. It features a group of particularly angular women with mask-like faces, all

gathered behind a curtain. As opposed to The Portuguese, Picassos piece uses primarily warm

colors on the nude figures and he paints the figures abstract but whole so that the viewer can

clearly tell what the subject is. Braques work, on the other hand, is so fractured and divided up

into such small elements that its difficult for one to tell exactly whats being depicted. It

maintains a sense of abstractness in that way. Both being Cubist leaders, Picasso and Braques
artworks were still experimental and integral to the movement in how they were both able to

transform the average subject into something completely new.