what's Cubism
Cubism is an important
and influential innovation in early twentieth century mostly developed by Pablo
Picasso and Georges Braque. Louis Vauxcelles was credited for giving birth to
the term ‘Cubism’, derived from his reference made to ‘geometric schemas and
cubes’ describing Braque’s painting House at L’s Estaque. (Turner 1996, 100)
Cubist painters refuse to follow the succeeding concept of art; mimicking
nature or traditional perspective style. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d.)
Instead, they wanted to emphasize on two dimension painting on canvas that they
reduced objects into geometrical forms and then arranged them with shadow
relieflike space, sometimes use multiple or contrasting vintage points. (Rewald, n.d.) Its early phase often called Analytic Cubism, seek to reduce
nature to basic geometric forms while viewing object from different
perspective. Its second phase called Synthetic Cubism, using more
imaginative of reconstruction of improvisation of natural objects. Color and
spaces are less limited and shapes are less limited to geometry forms. (Adams 2002, 247)
The Beginning of cubism movement
Unknown
of precise beginning of the movement, Cubism can be said to begin in 1907, 1908,
1909 or 1911 depended on what distinguish, represent Cubism or how people
recognized Cubism from the other arts. (MoMA, n.d.) In 1907, Picasso’s
painting, Les Demoiselle d’Avignon is considered to be earlier prototype
of Cubism work by some people. In 1908, House at L’s Estaque by Braque
is regarded by Vauxcelles to be the first Cubism work as the picture contains
cubes that are compiled into painting. In 1909, painted by Picasso, Reservoir
at Horta de Ebro is also considered by Gertrude Stein to be the very first
Cubist work. In 1911, an organized exhibition of Cubist at Salon des
Indépendants called ‘Salle 41’ included many Cubism artworks by various artists
was also thought to be the beginning of Cubism, noted that the exhibition did
not include both Picasso and Braque’s works. (MoMA, n.d.)
Nevertheless, by 1911, Pablo Picasso was eventually accepted as the inventor of Cubism. But arguably, Braque was also recognized as an important figure that developed Cubism, he further emphasized on Cubism’s main principals; the depiction of space, volumes and mass as can be seen as the example in his work House at L’s Estaque. (MoMA, n.d.) Therefore, these two artists are regarded as the important developers of Cubism because they greatly influenced Cubism and encouraged further development from the other artists such as Jean Metzinger, Albert Gleizes, Robert Delaunay, Henri Le Fauconnier, Fernand Léger and Juan Gris. (GUGGENHEIM, n.d.)
Nevertheless, by 1911, Pablo Picasso was eventually accepted as the inventor of Cubism. But arguably, Braque was also recognized as an important figure that developed Cubism, he further emphasized on Cubism’s main principals; the depiction of space, volumes and mass as can be seen as the example in his work House at L’s Estaque. (MoMA, n.d.) Therefore, these two artists are regarded as the important developers of Cubism because they greatly influenced Cubism and encouraged further development from the other artists such as Jean Metzinger, Albert Gleizes, Robert Delaunay, Henri Le Fauconnier, Fernand Léger and Juan Gris. (GUGGENHEIM, n.d.)