What Is Cubist Art?: The Main Characteristics of Cubism

What is Cubist Art?
Cubism is one of the most influential art styles of the twentieth century, originated
in France, which aims to show all of the possible viewpoints of a person or an
object all at once. It is called Cubism because the items represented in the artworks
look like they are made out of cubes and other geometrical shapes.
Origins of Cubism
In 1907 in Paris, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque met when Braque visited
Picasso at his studio. This meeting marked the beginning of a very important
friendship in the history of art. Together, the two artists developed Cubism
art, a revolutionary new style of painting, which transformed the world into
geometric shapes.
The main characteristics of Cubism
The Cubist painters rejected the inherited concept that art should copy nature, or
that artists should adopt the traditional techniques of perspEctive, modeling, and
foreshortening (ракурс). They wanted to Emphasize the two-dimensionality of the
canvas. So they achieved this by not using perspEctive and using tone (light and
shadow) in a different way.
Analytical vs Synthetic Cubism

Cubism developed in two distInct phases: analytical cubism and (later)
synthetic cubism. Analytical cubism art is considered to run from 1908th to
1912th. Synthetic cubism art is the later phase of cubism, dating from around
1912 to 1914
Let`s consider the Features of Analytical Cubism
1. Paintings are composed of little cubes and other geometrical shapes (e.g.

squares, triangles and cones). Objects are deconstructed and “Analysed” from
different angles, and turned into a fragmented composite. That explains why
the first of the two phases of Cubism was called Analytical.
2. 2. The paintings are flattened (they are two-dimentional). For example, if you
look at the heads and arms of subjects, they are rendered flat. There is little or
no sense of depth.
Look at this picture The Young Ladies of Avinion
The painting shows five partially SH naked women. Their bodies are deformed. For
example, the eyes of some of the women are looking straight at the viewer but their noses
are depicted from the side. This painting is considered one of the earliest Cubist works.
3. PerspeEtive is mobile /ail/: several sides of the same subject are shown
simultaneously from different angles and sometimes different points of time.
In this painting, we find a woman, who is holding a spoon. All her body parts are
composed of geometrical shapes, even her brest which is depicted as a triangle and a
sphere. With each of her eyes, she’s simultaneously looking at us and looking sideways.
The cup is also shown from the side and from the top.
4. Paintings are fragmented. Sometimes Cubist canvas is described as a field of

broken glass. that’s True! When you’re confronted by a Cubist painting, you
have to put the pieces together in your mind to understand what it represents.
With the same painting displaying different viewpoints, different lighting, and
even different times of day, sometimes it’s too difficult to understand.
A wedding procession is theme of this painting. The bride occupies the center. Her white
dress takes up all the space of the painting. Next to her, dressed in green, is the groom
whose hand is on her shoulder to support her. The identity of the man in blue (in the
upper half of the painting) is not clear. His hand is above the couple in a way to bless
their union. He might be a priest or a parent of the bride or of the groom. The artwork is
Cubist if it shows mUltiple /A / viewpoints of the ScENE.
5. Cubist paintings are often monochromatic. You’ll find only muted colors.

Artists would choose one basic color for the entire work, and its variations
when needed.
Features of Synthetic cubism

Synthetic cubism art is the later phase of cubism, and characterised by
simpler shapes and brighter colours. Synthetic cubism began when cubist
artists started using textures and patterns in their paintings and experimented
with the collage /colAZH/ form. This inclusion of real objects in art was the
beginning of one of the important ideas in modern art, to work with already
existing objects.
Collages
CAnvases displayed a “synthesis” (or combination) of different materials beyond
paint: newsprint, textual images, cloth, paper and even sand. Also, they expanded / |
ɪkˈspandɪd| /their color palette /ˈpalət/.
This work is considered as the first collage of Picasso. By adding a physical piece to
the painting, he plays on a multiple levels of reality. The whole work is framed by a rope.
Around the top right corner, you’ll see a cut out lemon with a knife handle and blade on
top of it. Look lOwer for a napkin. In the middle, you’ll see a wine glass. On the top left,
there’s a journal with the letters JOU on.
The most famous Cubist works of the early XX century are paintings by artists
such as Juan Gris [hwɑːn] ,George Braque, Fernand /fˈɜːnand/ Leger, Marcel
Duchamp /ДюшА/,
Also there are sculptures by Alexander ArchIpenko.
Many Russian artists as Chagall, Archipenko, LentUlov, Altman have gone
through a fasination with cubism, often combining its principles with the techniques
of other modern artistic trends - futurism and primitivism, as well as a specific version
of cubofuturism.
However, the central figure of Russian Cubism proper is, of course, Kazimir
Malevich. Cubism was the first abstract style of modern art. And his creative
works, his pedagogical activity and theoretical works had a significant impact |
ˈɪmpækt| on the formation of individual artists and the whole direction of Abstract
Art.
In other words, instead of looking closely at an object such as a violin in

order to interpret its shape and structure, authors created a violin-like shape
from their imagination.
Perspective in art usually refers to the representation of three-

dimensional objects or spaces in two dimensional artworks. Artists
use perspective techniques to create a realistic impression of depth, 'play
with' perspective to present dramatic or disorientating images.
Analytical cubism was about breaking down an object (like a bottle)

viewpoint-by-viewpoint, into a fragmentary image; whereas synthetic
cubism was about flattening out the image and sweeping away the last
traces of allusion to three-dimensional space. Picasso's papier collés are a
good example of synthetic cubism.

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What is Cubist Art?

The main characteristics of Cubism

Analytical vs Synthetic Cubism

Let`s consider the Features of Analytical Cubism

1. Paintings are composed of little cubes and other geometrical shapes (e.g.

4. Paintings are fragmented. Sometimes Cubist canvas is described as a field of

5. Cubist paintings are often monochromatic. You’ll find only muted colors.

Features of Synthetic cubism

In other words, instead of looking closely at an object such as a violin in

Perspective in art usually refers to the representation of three-

Analytical cubism was about breaking down an object (like a bottle)

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