Or ig in

of
Cub is m
Introduction
Cubism was one of the most influential visual art
styles of the early twentieth century. It was created
by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973) and Georges
Braque (French, 1882–1963) in Paris between 1907
and 1914. The French art critic Louis Vauxcelles
coined the term Cubism after seeing the
landscapes Braque had painted in 1908 at L’Estaque
in emulation of Cézanne. Vauxcelles called the
geometric forms in the highly abstracted works
“cubes.” Other influences on early Cubism have
been linked to Primitivism and non-Western sources.
The stylization and distortion of Picasso’s
groundbreaking Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (Museum
of Modern Art, New York), painted in 1907, came
from African art. Picasso had first seen African art
when, in May or June 1907, he visited the
ethnographic museum in the Palais du Trocadéro in Pablo Picasso
Paris.
 i s m i n a r t ?
What is cub f in e d b y it s r e v o lu tio n a r y m e t h o
e
d
s
a rt s ty le d e r ic a l s h a p
n in f lu e n t ia l u g h g e o m et
Cubism is a l r e a l it y t h ro 19 0 8 ,
- d i m e n s io n a n d 19 0 7 o r
t h r e e d a r o u
of depicting a l c a n v a s . E s t a b lis h e
ic a l s h a p e s a n d
o - d im e n s i o n g g e o m e t r
o n a tw c t b y u t il iz i n e , fo r m ,
p i c t a sub je t. In p ra c t ic
ist a rt is ts d e t h e su b je c
cu b p e c t iv e s o f n g th e tr u e
a r y in g p er s f d i sc o v eri
v s o
forms from b is t a rt i s a m e a n
e r s p e c t iv e . T h e
a ti o n , c u ce le v e l p
and observ t r a t h e r t h a n a s u r f a
0 t h c e n tu r y a r t
o f a s u b je c x c e lle s , a 2
e ss e n c e y L o u is V a u d sc a p e
a s c o in e d b B r a q u e ’s la n
s m ” w eo r g e s
term “Cubi cr it i q u e o f a rt i s t G
e f e rr e d t o t h e m
w r i t i n g a p e s a n d r
critic. When n t ifie d g e o m e t r i c s h a
d a s a n e g a tiv e
e ll e s id e to b e u s e
work, Vauxc t e rm w a s s u p p o s e d
b y th e p u b lic t o
s . ” W h i le t h e te rm u s e d
a s “c u b e s a p o p u la r
C u b is m ” w a
b y 19 1 1 “
critique, o n a r y a r t is t ic s t y le .
t h e re v o lu t i
de s c ri b e
5 Fascinating Facts About Cubist Art
Picasso had a partner in crime. It was Georges Braque, a famous French painter who was
standing at the forefront of Cubism together with Picasso. These two first defined the
movement.
Paul Cézanne was a precursor of Cubist art. The works of the Post-Impressionist painter,
more known as the “father of modern art,” had a huge impact on Picasso.
Actually, there were two “cubisms.” The first phase was called Analytic Cubism and
advocated a limited range of colors and tones. The second phase, Synthetic Cubism, opted
for the use of non-art materials in work.
The first Cubist art exhibition did not feature works by the pioneers of the art
movement. The Salon des Indépendants in Paris (1911) was a legendary exhibition organized
for Cubists by Cubists. It featured works by some of the most popular artists of the time,
including Jean Metzinger, Fernand Léger, and Albert Gleizes. However, there were no works
by Picasso and Braque.
Cubism is not abstract nor realist. Contrary to popular belief, Cubism is not purely abstract
art. Neither is it completely realistic. It is simply something in between, consisting of both
elements.
 Analytical and Synthetic
Cubism
Analytical
Analytical cubism refers to the
approach of creating a subject
through geometrical shapes and
depicting it in a flattened way.
Analytical cubism art is often
described as the more rigid or
austere form compared to
synthetic cubism. However, it is
important to understand the level
of experimentation that occurred
during the movement.
Synthetic
Synthetic cubism is often recognized as a
collage which utilizes other forms such as bits
of a newspaper or other pieces to deepen
the exploration and interpretation of a
subject. The synthetic style utilizes words and
even three-dimensional materials later known
as assemblages (rather than sculptures).
While synthetic cubism allowed artists to more
deeply explore a subject, it was often
associated with the lower artistic status of
advertising due to its use of text in the image.
Synthetic Cubism Analytical Cubism
Famous Cubist Artists
01 Pablo Picasso 04 Juan Gris
02 Georges Braque 05 Marcel Duchamp
03 Fernand Leger 06 Jean Metzinger
 Table by a Window Les Demoiselles
Mandora (1909-1910) (1917) d’Avignon (1907)

Georges Braque Jean Metzinger Pablo Picasso

Violin and Playing Cards Portrait of a Chess
on a Table (1913) Contrast of Forms (1913 Players (1911)

Juan Gris Fernand Leger Marcel Duchamp

Thank
you