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Cubism: a different way of seeing
Cubism changed the way we see the world. It was one of the major influences on twentieth century Western art, developing from a collaboration between two painters - the Spaniard Pablo Picasso and the Frenchman Georges Braque - in Paris, and lasting only from 1907 to 1914.
Cubism rejected the idea that art should imitate nature. Cubist painters emphasized the flat, two-dimensional surface of the picture plane by abandoning the traditional conventions of perspective, foreshortening, modelling, and chiaroscuro (the use of light and dark).
The origin of the name Cubism is disputed: it is sometimes attributed to an ill-tempered outburst of Matisse against Braque's work, and sometimes to the art critic Louis de Vauxcelles describing one of Braque's paintings as reducing everything to cubes.
Early Cubism was influenced by Paul Cézanne because of his preoccupation with analysing shape and form in his paintings. But Cubist artists like Picasso, Braque and Juan Gris took these ideas further, presenting a different view of reality. In an effort to represent the whole object and its position in space they painted fragmented objects, seen from several different viewpoints simultaneously. Analytical Cubism was the second phase of the movement, which concentrated on geometrical forms and used subdued colours. The final phase, known as Synthetic Cubism, used more decorative shapes, stencilling, collage, and brighter colours.
How did Cubism change the way we see the world?
The Cubists used geometry to design their paintings.
The Cubists imitated other artists ideas
The Cubists no longer aimed to represent reality.
What are the traditional conventions of perspective?
Using models to make pictures seem more real.
Shortening lines to bring the background closer.
Rules that painters followed to give an illusion of 3D on a flat surface.
Modelling and chiaroscuro are two techniques that painters used to ....
represent objects as solid and real.
represent day and night.
represent flat objects.
How did the name "Cubism" originate?
From a description of the way Braque painted.
From a bad-tempered rival artist.
From Braque's sculptures.
Paul Cézanne influenced Cubism because ...
he painted cubes.
he was interested in the shape and form of things.
he didn't use perspective.
Who were the three major Cubist artists?
Braque, Picasso and Matisse.
Picasso, Braque and Cézanne.
Picasso, Braque and Gris.
How did the Cubists try to represent the whole object?
By using collage
By painting only fragments
By painting different views at the same time
Why did they paint fragmented objects?
To show different facets rather than a fixed view.
Because they were interested in details.
To make the picture more interesting.
What was one difference between Analytical and Synthetic Cubism?
Synthetic Cubism was more geometric.
Analytical Cubism used collage and pattern.
Analytical Cubism didn't use bright colours.
Why was Cubism an important influence on Western art?
Because it was a major step towards abstract art.
Because Picasso was the most famous artist of the age.
