What Is the History of Cubism Art and How Did It Start?

Art|Art History

Cubism is a revolutionary art style that emerged in the early 20th century. It was developed by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, and it changed the way artists viewed and depicted their subject matter. Cubism is characterized by its abstracted forms, flattened spaces, and multiple perspectives.

Origins

Cubism was born out of a desire to break from the conventions of traditional painting. Picasso had spent his early career experimenting with various styles, such as Symbolism and Fauvism, before he began to explore the possibilities of abstraction.

He was also inspired by African masks, which had an influence on his use of flat shapes and multiple perspectives. He soon joined forces with Braque, who shared his interest in abstraction, and together they developed their own take on cubism.

Development

In its initial stages, cubism focused mainly on still-life subjects such as bottles, glasses, books and newspapers. These objects were deconstructed into planes and geometric shapes that were then arranged in shallow space. This flattening of space was a radical departure from traditional painting techniques which aimed to create a sense of depth through perspective and chiaroscuro (the contrast between light and dark).

Analytical Cubism

By 1911 the first phase of cubism (known as ‘Analytical Cubism’) had begun to emerge. Here the subject matter was broken down into even smaller pieces before being reassembled into a new kind of picture plane – one in which all elements were seen simultaneously from multiple perspectives. This phase also saw the introduction of neutral colours such as greys and browns which were used to create moody atmospheres.

Synthetic Cubism

The second phase of cubism (known as ‘Synthetic’ or ‘Collage’ cubism) emerged around 1912-13. Here motifs were created using everyday materials such as newspaper clippings or fabric scraps – an idea that had been pioneered by Picasso’s friend Juan Gris. The use of collage enabled artists to explore new kinds of texture and colour combinations that could not be achieved through paint alone.

Conclusion

Cubism has had a lasting impact on modern art – it changed the way we look at form, colour and composition forevermore. Its influence can be seen in many different art movements today – from abstract expressionists to pop art – making it one of the most important styles in art history.

The history of Cubism art started with Pablo Picasso’s experimentation with abstraction in search for something new in painting conventions – this led him to join forces with Georges Braque who shared his interest in abstraction – together they developed Analytical Cubism where still-life subjects were deconstructed into planes and geometric shapes; this was followed by Synthetic Cubism where motifs were created using everyday materials like newspaper clippings or fabric scraps; this style revolutionized how artists viewed their subject matter as well as how they depicted it through form, color, composition – ultimately changing modern art forevermore