EARLY

20TH CENTURY

Alyza Caculitan
 CHARACTERISTIC OF THE
PERIOD
The early 20th century was a time of new styles of art,
inspired by many different things. Learn about
Expressionism and some of the types and characteristics of
early 20th century art that followed Expressionism, including
Cubism, Futurism, Dada, and Suprematism. Also, learn
about the social and political contexts of Expressionism, as
well as the influence of early 20th century art on design and
architecture.
 UNDERSTANDING EXPRESSIONISM

The key to understanding Expressionism lies in the non-

representational. If abstract art seems generally perplexing,
it is because the artists seek to portray an idea or emotion
rather than a scene or object from real life. They tend to be
uninterested in traditional notions of beauty, but rather use
form, shape, and color to convey meaning.
 Cubism

Beginning around 1908, Spanish painter Pablo

Picasso and French artist Georges Braque
developed Cubism, which was based on the
simplification of form and the influence of non-
Western art, such as African sculpture and folk art.
They were enamored and inspired by the art that
was making its way into Paris from the East,
which showed them a path to move away from the
entrenched styles of Realism and representation.
Pablo Picasso – Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907)

Picasso's most endlessly provocative painting still rattles and

dazzles. It bursts out of the confines of pictorial space with a
jagged madness. Flesh erupts from a blue crystal cavern. Faces
are masks. The "primitive" art Picasso was looking at when he
painted this masterpiece of mayhem licenses him to outdo
surrealism, before surrealism ever began. Look into the eyes of
his formidable whores, and be blinded.
 Portrait of Fernande by Picasso,
Pablo, 1909

The iconic painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is considered the first

Cubist work of art. Primitive art, such as African masks and Iberian
sculptures, played an influential role in the development of Cubism.
This first phase of the movement is usually known as analytic cubism,
characterized by the use of dark, almost monochromatic color hues,
and growing to a point where the deconstruction of reality became so
radical that the viewer could hardly identify the object or person
depicted.
 Futurism

Like the movements of Expressionism in Germany and

Paris, other European countries also spawned new
movements in art during this period. Futurism, akin to
Cubism, it came out of Italy and was representative of
the nationalist passion, optimism toward technology,
love of machines, and vigor for violence. The
movement was spawned by Italian poet Filippo
Marinetti's Futurist Manifesto, written in 1909.
 Dada

Dada came out of Switzerland as a critique of war and

politics. Its primary mode was the art of collage, which
allowed artists to convey their objections to the
political agendas of World War I. The birth of Dada
corresponded with the outbreak of war in 1914.
 Suprematism

Suprematism was an extreme form of Expressionism that

developed in Russia. It pushed the limits of what can be called
'art' by simplifying compositions into their most basic
geometric and color components. Inspired by the spread of
Futurism, the style of Suprematism emerged in Russia
following an exhibition of the work of Kazimir Malevich in
1915.
Early 20th
Century
Sculpture
Umberto Boccioni – Unique Forms of
Continuity in Space (1913)

Suprematism was an extreme form of Expressionism that

developed in Russia. It pushed the limits of what can be called
'art' by simplifying compositions into their most basic
geometric and color components. Inspired by the spread of
Futurism, the style of Suprematism emerged in Russia
following an exhibition of the work of Kazimir Malevich in
1915.
 L’Anima e la sua Veste

Adolfo Wildt’s L’Anima e la sua veste was conceived in 1916

and first exhibited at the Galleria Pesaro, Milan, in 1919, and
three years later at the Venice Biennale of 1922. The present
sculpture is one of only three or four versions in marble and
one in gesso to have been made. Wildt was preoccupied with
the themes of faith, the human soul and religion. These
interests stemmed from the intense suffering he experienced
due to clinical depression in the first years of the twentieth
century.
 Early 20th
Century
Architecture
Antoni Gaudí, (1852-1926)
Sagrada Família 1883-1926
Location: Barcelona, Spain.
Commission: Spiritual Association
of the Devotees of Saint Joseph,
founded 1866 by the bookseller
Joseph Bocabella; in 1892 the
Association received a legacy of
577,500 pesetas; it continues to be
supported by private patrons.
Materials: Reinforced concrete,
Montjuïc sandstone, granite, basalt,
red porphyry, limestone, travertine,
glass, bronze, trencadis of Venetian
glass and ceramic.
"Medieval" Stockholm City Hall (1923) by
Ragnar Ostberg.
Stockholm City Hall took 12 years to build, from 1911 to
1923, and was
designed by the Swedish architect Ragnar Östberg. The City
Hall is still used
as offices for Stockholm’s politicians and civil servants and
every year it hosts
the famous Nobel Banquet.
The City Hall Tower is 106 m high and there are 365 steps
leading to the top.
At the top of the tower there are nine bells. The largest one
weighs 3,000 kg.
The bells strike every hour and at 12 noon and 6 pm they play
a tune.
 Early 20th
Century Music
Music Forms and Styles of the 20th Century

• 2-tone System: A term mainly attributed to Arnold Schoenberg, who wanted to eliminate
the tonal center. He developed a technique called 12-tone system wherein all the 12
notes of the octave are of equal importance. The 12 notes are placed in a specific order
called a "tone-row" or "tone-series," and no note is repeated within a row. This evoked
music that felt anxious and unresolved.
• Concert Music: Many composers combined jazz music elements with other music styles
such as classical and blues. Music during this time also spoke of nationalistic fervor.
Some of the composers whose works were greatly appreciated were George Gershwin
(Rhapsody in Blue), Aaron Copland (Rodeo) and Dmitry Shostakovich (The Golden
Age).
● Electronic Music: Composers of electronic music experimented with technology and how it affects
certain aspects of music such as melody and rhythm.
● Impressionistic: This term derived from the painter Monet, in the work, Impression, Sunrise. In
music, it is applied to works of early 20th century composers such as Debussy. Debussy rejected the
rules of tonality and created music that is pleasing to the ears as impressionist paintings are appealing
to the eyes. This resulted in music that was relaxed and almost dreamlike.
 MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
NEPTUNE
Neptune is the farthest planet
from the Sun

MERCURY SATURN
Mercury is the closest planet Saturn is the ringed one and a
to the Sun gas giant

JUPITER MARS
It’s the biggest planet in the Despite being red, Mars is
Solar System actually a cold place
• Jazz: Jazz can be traced back to earlier African-American music styles. Jazz music is
particularly notable for its improvisation, harmonic progressions, and syncopated (modified)
rhythms.
• Minimalism: This type of music was simple and featured patterns that were repeated and
supported by a steady beat. The music of Steve Reich and Philip Glass were labeled as such.
• New Romanticism: The movement began in eastern Europe and desired music that was
expressive, haunting and mysterious, much like the music of the past. Composers who used this
technique were George Crumb (Ancient Voices of Children) and Gyorgy Ligeti (Lux Aeterna),
among others.
• Neoclassical: A term applied to the music of early 20th century composers like Stravinsky
which reflects the 18th-century music. Stravinsky's works, particularly after the highly
acclaimed The Rite of Spring, did not emphasize tonality but felt restrained. Stravinsky was
discovered by Sergei Diaghilev, the producer of the Ballet Rouse. His earlier works reflected
influences from Debussy's dissonance and irregular rhythmic patterns.
• Serialism: This was based on Schoenberg's 12-tone system, which was continued by his student
Anton von Webern. Serialism was evident in the music of the 1950s and 60s but appreciation
was limited to university professors and their students. Serialism used a strict musical formula
that was difficult to play. Composers who used this technique were Milton Babbitt and Pierre
Boulez, to name a few.