Cubism is not just another art movement—it’s a complete shift in how we understand and depict reality on canvas. Born in the early 20th century, Cubism rejected traditional techniques of perspective and representation.
Instead, artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque began breaking down subjects into geometric shapes, showing them from multiple perspectives at once.
This revolutionary approach had an impact not only on painting but also on architecture, sculpture, and even film.
If you’ve ever wondered what is Cubism art, this article will break down its key elements. You’ll learn about Analytic Cubism, Synthetic Cubism, and how the movement evolved over time.
By the end, you’ll understand the influence of Paul Cézanne, the role of African tribal masks, and how Cubism redefined the very nature of modern art.
What Is Cubism Art?
Cubism is an early 20th-century art movement pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, characterized by fragmented, geometric forms. Instead of depicting subjects from a single viewpoint, Cubist art presents multiple perspectives simultaneously, breaking objects into abstract shapes. This approach challenges traditional notions of depth and realism, offering a fresh, innovative view of reality.
Key Figures and Influences in the Development of Cubism
Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque
The collaboration between Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque is fundamental to Cubism. Their partnership, beginning around 1907, reshaped the way art was perceived, moving away from the constraints of traditional perspective.
Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon often gets credit for being a precursor to the movement. Its fragmented forms and disjointed space laid the groundwork for Cubism. Braque, who had been influenced by Paul Cézanne, further developed the style by simplifying forms into geometric shapes.
Together, they challenged the idea that art should represent a single viewpoint. This marked the shift toward what is now known as Analytic Cubism, characterized by its monochromatic palette and deconstruction of objects into fragmented, overlapping planes.
Paul Cézanne’s Influence
Paul Cézanne is often cited as a critical influence on Cubism. His approach to depicting multiple perspectives in a single painting inspired Picasso and Braque to explore the same.
Cézanne’s landscapes and still lifes, with their use of geometric simplification, demonstrated how forms could be broken down into shapes like cubes, cylinders, and spheres. His work played a pivotal role in moving art away from the illusion of three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface, encouraging a more abstract interpretation of objects.
African Art and Tribal Masks
Picasso was heavily influenced by African tribal masks, particularly their abstract, stylized forms. These masks presented an alternative to the naturalistic representation of the human face, focusing instead on symbolic shapes and patterns.
The influence of African art on Picasso is evident in works like Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, where the mask-like faces of the figures reflect this influence. This contributed to the broader Cubist approach of breaking down and abstracting forms.
Juan Gris and Synthetic Cubism
Juan Gris, often seen as a key figure in the later development of Cubism, played an important role in transitioning the movement from Analytic Cubism to Synthetic Cubism.
Unlike Picasso and Braque, who initially focused on deconstructing forms, Gris introduced a more colorful, collage-based approach. Synthetic Cubism reassembled fragments to form new compositions, often incorporating non-art materials like newspaper clippings or fabrics.
Other Key Figures
Other important artists like Fernand Léger and Robert Delaunay also contributed to the evolution of Cubism. Léger’s work expanded on Cubist principles, using geometric abstraction to create dynamic compositions, while Delaunay incorporated vibrant color and focused on movement within his pieces, which led to his development of Orphism.
These figures, along with the influence of Cézanne and African art, shaped the foundations of Cubism, marking a definitive break from previous art movements like Impressionism and Realism.
Each artist contributed something distinct to the movement, whether it was Picasso and Braque’s focus on geometry and abstraction, or Gris’s development of the collage technique in Synthetic Cubism. The impact of these contributions can be seen across not only painting but also in areas like Cubist sculpture and even architecture.
The Stylistic Phases of Cubism
Analytic Cubism
Analytic Cubism marks the earliest phase of the movement. This phase is characterized by the dissection and fragmentation of objects.
The focus was on breaking down subjects—whether still lifes or portraits—into geometric forms, using a limited color palette of earthy tones, grays, and browns. This reduction of color helped emphasize the structure, the way the forms were constructed on the canvas.
Works like Picasso’s Violin and Candlestick and Braque’s The Portuguese represent this phase. These paintings deliberately challenged traditional notions of perspective, offering viewers multiple angles of the same object, all flattened into a single two-dimensional space.
In Analytic Cubism, there’s a disorientation in viewing. It’s not about clarity but about an intellectual engagement with the forms and their relationship to space. The paintings are almost monochromatic—rarely introducing bright colors. The fragmented forms are meant to reveal the complexity of subjects, not just their outward appearances.
Synthetic Cubism
As Analytic Cubism progressed, it eventually evolved into Synthetic Cubism. This shift introduced something new: color, and collage. Where Analytic Cubism had focused on deconstructing objects, Synthetic Cubism became about putting them back together.
Bright, bold colors returned, and artists began incorporating materials like newspaper clippings and wallpaper into their compositions. This technique of collage was groundbreaking—works like Picasso’s Still Life with Chair Caning exemplify this.
Rather than solely dissecting forms, artists in the Synthetic Cubism phase were interested in rebuilding, often with less emphasis on realism and more on abstract arrangements. Collage allowed them to create textures and layers that weren’t possible with paint alone.
This phase showed more playfulness. It became less about the intellectual fragmentation seen in Analytic Cubism and more about creating dynamic, colorful compositions. Synthetic Cubism also played a significant role in shaping later modernist movements, influencing everything from Abstract Expressionism to Minimalism.
Artistic Techniques and Innovations of Cubism
Fragmentation of Form
One of the primary techniques in Cubism is the fragmentation of form. Instead of representing objects from a single viewpoint, Cubist artists like Picasso and Braque deconstructed subjects into geometric shapes—cubes, cones, cylinders—breaking them down into multiple perspectives simultaneously.
This approach removed the necessity of depicting depth in the traditional sense. In works like Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, the human figure is reduced to a collection of planes, each representing a different angle. The idea was not to depict reality as it appears, but to explore its underlying structure.
Collage and Mixed Media
Synthetic Cubism introduced collage as a key innovation. Artists began incorporating materials like newspaper clippings, fabric, and wood into their works. Picasso’s Still Life with Chair Caning was one of the earliest examples of this technique.
These materials, placed alongside painted elements, created a layered effect that blurred the lines between painting and sculpture. This innovation allowed Cubist artists to engage directly with real-world materials, making their compositions more tactile and less confined to the traditional canvas.
Multiple Perspectives
Instead of adhering to a single point of view, Cubist paintings presented objects from multiple angles. For example, in Braque’s Violin and Candlestick, the viewer sees the object from various perspectives at once, collapsing time and space into a single image.
This technique was central to Analytic Cubism, pushing the boundaries of how form and perspective could be represented on a two-dimensional surface.
Use of Monochromatic Color Palettes
In the early phase of Analytic Cubism, artists often worked with a monochromatic palette. This choice was intentional, allowing them to focus on structure and form without the distraction of bright colors.
Picasso’s The Accordionist is a clear example of this, with muted tones of brown, gray, and beige emphasizing the fragmented shapes. The restricted color palette helped to maintain a cohesive composition, even as the forms themselves were being broken apart.
Geometric Abstraction
At its core, Cubism is about abstraction. By reducing objects to their basic geometric components, artists like Picasso and Braque moved away from realism. They were more interested in exploring the fundamental nature of objects.
Paintings like The Portuguese showcase how traditional subjects—figures, still lifes—could be represented using only fragmented, abstract shapes. The result was a radical departure from earlier art movements like Impressionism, which had focused on light and color.
Cubism’s Influence on Other Art Forms and Movements
Futurism and Vorticism
Cubism’s break from traditional perspective had a direct impact on other movements, particularly Futurism and Vorticism. In Italy, Futurism embraced the Cubist style but added its own obsession with movement and the machine age.
Artists like Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla began using Cubist fragmentation to depict dynamism and speed. Their works focus heavily on industrialization, with fractured planes suggesting motion, which aligned with their vision of modern life.
Vorticism, led by Wyndham Lewis in Britain, also borrowed heavily from Cubism’s use of geometric abstraction but injected an energy that was more aggressive, more mechanical, more raw.
Surrealism
Surrealism, while fundamentally different in its exploration of the subconscious, took cues from Cubism’s abandonment of reality. Cubism’s disregard for a single perspective opened the door for Surrealists like Max Ernst to play with the juxtaposition of unrelated forms.
The dislocation of time and space, especially seen in works by Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, can trace its roots back to Cubist techniques that shattered the conventional notion of continuity in a scene.
Constructivism and De Stijl
The influence of Cubism extended to the Constructivist movement in Russia and the De Stijl movement in the Netherlands. Both movements admired Cubism’s focus on geometric shapes and abstraction.
For Constructivists like Vladimir Tatlin and El Lissitzky, Cubism’s reduction of forms into basic geometric elements became a foundational tool. They took it further by incorporating these principles into architectural and industrial design, making art a part of everyday life.
De Stijl, led by Piet Mondrian, pushed the Cubist emphasis on geometric abstraction even further, reducing compositions to grids of horizontal and vertical lines and primary colors. Their goal was to achieve a universal harmony, a clear evolution from Cubism’s rejection of realism.
Abstract Expressionism
Cubism’s emphasis on the flatness of the canvas and the fragmentation of form also left a mark on Abstract Expressionism. Artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning saw how Cubism eliminated the need for traditional subject matter. While Cubism’s fragmentation was intellectual and precise, Abstract Expressionism turned that into a more emotional and spontaneous process, rejecting any figuration altogether.
The influence is clear: where Picasso and Braque deconstructed reality, Pollock and de Kooning obliterated it entirely, pushing abstraction to its limits.
Cubist Architecture
Cubism’s geometric forms didn’t stay confined to the canvas. Cubist architecture, particularly in Prague, took the movement’s aesthetic into the physical world.
Architects like Josef Gočár and Pavel Janák translated the fragmented forms and geometric shapes of Cubist painting into buildings. Unlike most architectural styles that prioritize symmetry and balance, Cubist architecture is marked by sharp angles, protruding elements, and an overall sense of fractured space, reflecting the ideas of deconstruction and abstraction.
Film and Photography
Even in film and photography, the Cubist influence is present. Filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein adopted Cubism’s fragmented perspective in his use of montage, a technique where a series of images or shots are edited together to create a composite view of reality.
Similarly, in photography, artists like Man Ray explored Cubism’s influence through collage and photomontage, layering and juxtaposing images to create a fractured reality that echoed Cubist techniques.
Major Works and Key Examples of Cubism
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon – Pablo Picasso
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) is often considered the spark that ignited Cubism. Picasso broke with traditional representation, taking five women and distorting their bodies into geometric planes.
The faces—some influenced by African masks—are sharp, angular, almost brutal. Picasso wasn’t interested in softness or realism; he wanted to deconstruct form.
It’s chaotic, yet deliberate. The canvas was a shock to the art world at the time, forcing viewers to grapple with a radical new vision of what painting could be.
Violin and Candlestick – Georges Braque
Braque’s Violin and Candlestick (1910) represents Analytic Cubism at its height. Objects are fragmented, almost unrecognizable at first glance. The violin—sliced into overlapping planes—isn’t shown from just one perspective but several, all at once.
There’s a sense of intellectual dissection here, an exercise in how forms interact with space. The limited color palette of browns and grays forces attention on the structure itself, rather than distracting with vibrant hues.
Man with a Guitar – Juan Gris
Juan Gris, often a later addition to the conversation about Cubism, brought a unique clarity to the movement. In Man with a Guitar (1915), Gris shifts from the darker tones of Analytic Cubism into the bright, colorful realm of Synthetic Cubism.
The guitar is broken into geometric shapes, yet somehow remains familiar. Gris introduced a more defined sense of space and color than Picasso or Braque did at the time. His use of vibrant colors and clearer, cleaner lines gave Cubism a new dimension.
Still Life with Chair Caning – Pablo Picasso
Picasso’s Still Life with Chair Caning (1912) marks a turning point toward Synthetic Cubism. The painting introduces collage—actual oilcloth printed with a chair caning pattern is pasted onto the canvas.
Picasso added rope around the edge as a frame, blurring the line between reality and art. This work challenges the boundary between art and life, something Cubism had been inching toward. The objects are fragmented—glasses, a pipe, a lemon—but reassembled in a way that hints at the form of a café table.
The Portuguese – Georges Braque
In The Portuguese (1911), Braque pushes Analytic Cubism to its limits. The figure of a man—holding a guitar—seems to dissolve into the canvas, broken down into a grid of intersecting lines and shapes.
Braque used stenciled letters and numbers, adding a layer of abstraction that distances the viewer from any clear narrative. The color palette remains monochromatic, sticking to browns, blacks, and grays, which enhances the complexity of the fragmented forms.
Houses at L’Estaque – Georges Braque
One of the earlier examples of Cubism, Houses at L’Estaque (1908) shows Braque experimenting with the geometric simplification of landscape forms.
Inspired by Paul Cézanne’s treatment of form, Braque reduced the houses and trees into blocks of color, flat and sharp. This piece moves away from traditional depth and perspective, laying the groundwork for the full development of Cubist techniques.
This approach to showing objects from multiple perspectives and breaking them down into simplified geometric forms is what eventually led many to ask: what is Cubism art, truly? It’s this continuous challenge to representation that defined these key works and changed the course of modern art.
Public Reception and Legacy of Cubism
Initial Shock and Controversy
Cubism didn’t land softly. When Picasso exhibited Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in 1907, the reaction wasn’t admiration—it was shock, confusion, even outrage.
People weren’t ready for the fragmented forms, the sharp edges, or the blatant disregard for traditional beauty. Critics thought Picasso had lost his mind, abandoning everything painting was supposed to represent. Georges Braque faced similar backlash.
His early Analytic Cubism pieces were criticized for being too difficult to understand, too abstract. Viewers struggled to piece together the disjointed shapes into something recognizable. It was as if the art world had been thrown into disarray, and many simply didn’t know what to do with it.
Gradual Acceptance
Over time, as more artists began experimenting with Cubism, and as galleries and collectors started showing interest, the initial hostility softened. By the 1910s, Cubism had gained recognition in Paris, especially among avant-garde circles.
Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, an art dealer and early supporter of Picasso and Braque, was instrumental in introducing Cubist works to collectors.
He saw the potential, where others only saw chaos. Major exhibitions like the Salon des Indépendants and the Salon d’Automne provided the platform for Cubism to be seen on a wider scale, albeit still controversial.
World War I and Cubism’s Shift
The outbreak of World War I marked a significant shift in the public’s reception of Cubism. Many Cubist artists were directly involved in the war, and the grim reality of conflict seemed to resonate with the fractured, disjointed forms of Cubist works.
What once felt too radical began to feel strangely appropriate for the time. Picasso and Braque both took a step back during the war years, but Cubism had already left its mark. The public, now familiar with the style, began to accept its legitimacy.
Legacy in Modern Art
The long-term impact of Cubism is impossible to ignore. Without Cubism, there’s no Abstract Expressionism, no Minimalism, no Bauhaus.
The movement shattered the illusion of realism and opened the door for artists to explore abstraction in entirely new ways.
It redefined painting as something not limited by the laws of perspective or representation. Picasso’s and Braque’s innovations influenced not only painters but also sculptors, architects, and even filmmakers.
Cubism also laid the foundation for what we now think of as modernism. It forced the public and critics alike to rethink the very nature of art—what is Cubism art, after all, if not a radical reimagining of form, perspective, and structure?
The echoes of its impact are still felt today, from the geometric abstractions of Piet Mondrian to the fragmented compositions of David Hockney.
FAQ on What Is Cubism Art
What is Cubism?
Cubism is an art movement from the early 20th century that radically altered the way artists represent reality. Instead of traditional perspective, artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque depicted objects from multiple viewpoints simultaneously. Cubism breaks subjects into geometric shapes and rearranges them on a flat plane.
Who started Cubism?
Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are credited with starting Cubism around 1907. Their collaboration transformed the art world, with Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon often seen as the breakthrough piece. Influenced by Paul Cézanne, they sought new ways to depict form and space.
What are the two types of Cubism?
There are two phases: Analytic Cubism and Synthetic Cubism. Analytic Cubism focuses on deconstructing objects into fragmented shapes and using muted colors. Synthetic Cubism, developed later, incorporates brighter colors, textures, and collage elements like newspaper clippings into the artworks.
How did Cubism influence other art movements?
Cubism had a profound influence on movements like Futurism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism. It redefined how artists approached form, space, and perspective, inspiring innovations in painting, sculpture, and architecture. Artists like Juan Gris, Robert Delaunay, and Fernand Léger expanded on Cubist principles.
What is the difference between Analytic and Synthetic Cubism?
Analytic Cubism is characterized by fragmented, monochromatic shapes and deconstructs subjects. Synthetic Cubism, however, focuses on reconstructing objects with vibrant colors, collage, and simpler forms. The shift was also marked by the introduction of new materials like paper and fabric in the artwork.
Why is Cubism important?
Cubism is important because it broke away from the centuries-old tradition of depicting objects from a single perspective. It changed how we see and create art, influencing various disciplines. The movement opened the door for modern abstract art, emphasizing structure, form, and the viewer’s interpretation.
How did Cubism affect sculpture?
Cubist ideas extended into sculpture, where artists like Henri Laurens and Jacques Lipchitz applied the same principles of fragmentation and abstraction. Cubist sculpture broke the traditional, smooth representations of the human body into geometric planes, adding a multi-dimensional quality that mirrors the movement’s approach in painting.
What are some famous Cubist paintings?
Famous Cubist works include Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Braque’s Violin and Candlestick, and Juan Gris’ Man with a Guitar. These paintings showcase the movement’s core ideas of geometric abstraction and multiple perspectives, capturing the essence of both Analytic and Synthetic Cubism.
Who were the key figures of Cubism?
Besides Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, key figures include Juan Gris, Fernand Léger, and Robert Delaunay. Each artist contributed uniquely to the movement. Gris added more clarity and color, while Léger and Delaunay explored new dimensions in abstraction and modern life.
What is Cubism’s legacy?
Cubism’s legacy is its radical break from traditional art forms, opening new paths for modern and contemporary art. It influenced everything from architecture to film. Its impact on movements like Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, and Constructivism can still be seen in how we view and create art today.
Conclusion
Cubism fundamentally reshaped the way we understand and create art. If you’re asking what is Cubism art, it’s a movement that breaks down objects into geometric forms, offering multiple perspectives at once.
Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and others pioneered this approach, rejecting traditional perspective and depth in favor of abstract, fragmented forms. The evolution from Analytic Cubism to Synthetic Cubism introduced new materials and techniques, such as collage, which expanded the movement beyond painting.
The impact of Cubism reaches far beyond its time, influencing movements like Futurism, Surrealism, and Constructivism. It challenged the boundaries of how art could represent reality and inspired innovation in sculpture, architecture, and even film.
Today, its legacy is visible in how modern art continues to experiment with form, perspective, and abstraction. Understanding Cubism provides a crucial insight into the development of modern art and its ongoing influence.
