Cubism shattered centuries of Western pictorial tradition. In 1907, Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon fragmented the human figure into angular planes, influenced by African masks and Iberian sculpture. Working alongside Georges Braque, Picasso developed a visual language that showed objects from multiple viewpoints simultaneously.
Analytical Cubism (1909-1912) broke subjects into geometric facets, nearly dissolving recognizable imagery into abstract grids of brown and gray. Synthetic Cubism (1912-1914) reversed course, building images from flat shapes and incorporating collage elements like newspaper and wallpaper. Juan Gris and Fernand Léger extended the style with brighter colors and distinct personal approaches.
Cubism's influence extended far beyond painting. It transformed sculpture, architecture, and graphic design. The movement demonstrated that art didn't need to mimic how things look, opening the door to Modern art's endless experimentation. Today, Cubist masterpieces anchor collections at the MoMA, Centre Pompidou, and the Reina Sofía.
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1881 – 1955 · 9 works

Juan Gris, Pablo Picasso, Robert Delaunay and 1 more