Cubism is an artistic movement invented around 1907 by Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso. It was revolutionary in its rejection of linear perspective and its use of fragmented and geometric shapes to represent reality. Cubism has been hugely influential in the development of modern art, and its legacy can be seen in the work of many subsequent artists.
Cubism was initially developed as a reaction against the naturalistic depiction of reality that had dominated Western art since the Renaissance. The Cubists believed that reality could be better understood by breaking it down into its constituent parts and analyzing them individually. This led to the use of simplified, geometric shapes in their work, which was often arranged in fractured, disjointed compositions.
The Cubist approach to art was particularly influential in the development of abstract art, as it showed that reality could be represented in non-representational ways. Many subsequent artists have explored the potential of abstraction, and the Cubist legacy can be seen in the work of movements such as Futurism, Constructivism, and Dada.
Some of the most famous cubist painters include:
- Pablo Picasso
- Georges Braque
- Juan Gris
- Fernand Leger
Examples of famous cubist paintings include:
- Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) by Pablo Picasso
- The Cubist Room (1911-12) by Georges Braque
- Still Life with a Bottle of Rum (1913) by Juan Gris
- Nude in a Landscape (1914-15) by Fernand Leger
Cubism also impacted other art forms, such as sculpture and architecture. The Cubist aesthetic can be seen in the work of artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Joseph Csaky, and in the buildings of architects such as Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Cubism was a pivotal moment in the history of art, and its influence can still be seen in many contemporary works.