Cubism Is Great :: essays research papers fc

Cubist TheoryCubism began as an intellectual revolt against the artistic manifestation of previous eras. Among the specific elements abandoned by the cubists were the sensual appeal of pigment texture and color, subject matter with emotional charge or mood, the swordplay of light on form, movement, atmosphere, and the illusionism that proceeded from scientifically based perspective. To replace these they employed an analyticalal system in which the three-dimensional subject (usually still life) was fragmented and redefined in spite of appearance a shallow plane or within several meshing and often transparent planes.Analytic and Synthetic CubismIn the analytic bod (190712) the cubist palette was severely limited, largely to black, br takes, grays, and off-whites. In addition, forms were rigidly geometrical and compositions subtle and intricate. Cubist abstraction as represented by the analytic works of Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Juan Gris intended an appeal to the intel lect. The cubists sought to show everyday objects as the mind, not the eye, perceives themfrom all sides at once. The trompe loeil element of collage was also sometimes used.During the later, synthetic phase of cubism (1913 through the 1920s), paintings were composed of fewer and simpler forms based to a lesser extent on natural objects. Brighter colors were employed to a generally more decorative effect, and many artists continued to use collage in their compositions. The works of Picasso, Braque, and Gris are also representative of this phase.The Scope of CubismIn painting the major exponents of cubism included Picasso, Braque, Jean Metzinger, Gris, Duchamp, and Lger. The chief segments of the cubist movement included the Montmartre-based Bteau-Lavoir group of artists and poets (Max Jacob, Guillaume Apollinaire, Gertrude and Leo Stein, Modigliani, Picabia, Delaunay, Archipenko, and others) the Puteaux group of the division dOr salon (J. Villon, Lger, Picabia, Kupka, Marcoussis, G leizes, Apollinaire, and others) the Orphists (Delaunay, Duchamp, Picabia, and Villon see orphism) and the experimenters in collage who influenced cubist engrave (Laurens and Lipchitz).Cubist Inspiration and InfluenceIn painting the several sources of cubist inspiration included the later work of Czanne the geometric forms and savorless picture space in his paintings appealed especially to Braque, who developed them in his own works. African sculpture, particularly mask carvings, had enormous influence in the early years of the movement. Picassos Demoiselles dAvignon (1907 Mus. of Modern Art, New York City) is one of the most significant examples of this influence. at heart this revolutionary composition lay much of the basic material of cubism.