What is Cubism? | Tate Kids

Summary

The video explores the origin and impact of Cubism, a revolutionary art movement born in Paris in 1908 when Georges Braque presented his unique paintings at an exhibition judged by Henri Matisse. Criticized as 'absurd' yet intriguing, these works led to the term 'Cubism'. Alongside Pablo Picasso, Braque sought to show objects from multiple perspectives, breaking them into geometric shapes, marking the beginning of Analytic Cubism. This approach evolved into Synthetic Cubism, characterized by imaginative compositions. Despite differing personal styles, both artists shared inspirations from global art forms. Their collaboration ended with World War I, but they left a lasting legacy that inspired various art forms beyond paintings.

Highlights

• Georges Braque's paintings were initially considered absurd, leading to the term 'Cubism' 😂.
• Braque and Picasso's inspiration came from pioneers like the Wright Brothers 🚀.
• Analytic Cubism broke objects into geometric shapes, showcasing multiple views 📐.
• Synthetic Cubism featured collage elements and encouraged viewer interaction 📜.
• Other artists and art forms were inspired by Cubism's new perspective on modern life 🌆.
• Despite the war ending their partnership, Cubism's revolutionary ideas lived on 🔮.

Key Takeaways

• Cubism was born in 1908, created by Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso 🎨.
• Braque and Picasso were inspired by global art and aimed to invent a new art form ✈️.
• Analytic Cubism focuses on geometric shapes, while Synthetic Cubism is more creative 🖼️.
• Their art sought to capture multiple perspectives in a single piece of work 👀.
• Cubism had a profound influence beyond painting, impacting music and literature too 📚.
• The collaboration ended in 1914 due to World War I, but their legacy continues 🌍.

Overview

In 1908 Paris, the art world was astonished by Georges Braque's bold paintings, which Henri Matisse derided as works of 'little cubes.' This was the genesis of Cubism, a movement Braque pioneered with his friend Pablo Picasso. The duo sought to depict objects from multiple angles in a single plane, creating a dynamic and fragmented view that broke away from traditional perspectives.

Braque and Picasso drew inspiration from diverse global art forms, contributing richly textured and imaginative aspects to their works. Analytic Cubism deconstructed objects into geometric shapes, whereas Synthetic Cubism used unexpected elements like collages, encouraging viewers to piece together the narrative. This inventive artistry marked a significant deviation from prior conventions, engaging minds in a playful visual puzzle.

Cubism struck a chord beyond the visual arts, invigorating musicians and writers who resonated with its optimism and modernist outlook. Though World War I disrupted Braque and Picasso's collaboration, their six-year partnership from 1908 to 1914 fostered a revolutionary legacy that reshaped artistic perception and continues to influence creative exploration globally.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Braque's Paintings The year is 1908, and the setting is Paris, where artists are eagerly submitting their works for a significant exhibition. Among the judges is the revered painter Henri Matisse, known for his fame and artistic contributions. A young Georges Braque, at just 26 years old, steps forward with six of his paintings, aiming to make a lasting impression on the committee.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Cubism and Inspirations The chapter titled 'Cubism and Inspirations' delves into the origins of the Cubism art movement. It begins by introducing a character who collects posters in Paris at night, highlighting his dual talents in art and sports. A significant moment occurs when famous artist Henri Matisse sees the paintings of Georges Braque and describes them as 'absurd' and composed of 'little cubes'. This description is overheard by an art critic, who coins the term 'Cubism' for this new art style. The chapter underscores the importance of the friendship and collaboration between Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, both credited with inventing Cubism.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Braque, Picasso, and Their Heroes The chapter "Braque, Picasso, and Their Heroes" describes the friendship and differences between two influential artists, Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso. Despite being the same age, their personalities and working methods diverged: Braque was methodical and enigmatic, while Picasso was quick and outgoing. Both artists admired the Wright Brothers, pioneers of aviation, and incorporated flying motifs into their artwork. Inspired by the Wright Brothers' inventive spirit, Braque and Picasso aspired to revolutionize the art world with groundbreaking creations.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Cubism's Global Influences The chapter discusses the global influences on Cubism, highlighting inspirations drawn from diverse art forms such as African sculptures, Japanese prints, and cave paintings.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Analytic and Synthetic Cubism Analytic and Synthetic Cubism are two fundamental branches of the Cubism art movement. Analytic Cubism involves breaking down objects into geometric shapes, allowing multiple perspectives to be depicted within a single painting. This approach highlights different angles of the subject simultaneously. On the other hand, Synthetic Cubism is more imaginative, focusing on the artist's interpretation rather than deconstructing forms. This chapter delves into the characteristics of these two types of Cubism, offering examples and analyses of each approach.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Analytic Cubism Example This chapter explores Analytic Cubism with an example painting by Braque, featuring a glass on a table depicted from multiple perspectives simultaneously. This style allows the viewer to see the front, back, and sides of the glass at once, creating an effect akin to looking through a hall of mirrors or possessing X-ray vision. The chapter also introduces Synthetic Cubism with a Picasso collage, highlighting objects like a newspaper, a bottle, a glass, and a guitar.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Synthetic Cubism Example The chapter discusses Synthetic Cubism with a focus on finding all elements in a single place, exemplified by a cafe. It compares a Picasso painting to a riddle or puzzle, encouraging viewers to decipher its meaning. The text questions whether objects in the painting, such as a guitar, are shown in their entirety or as fragmented pieces, prompting the viewer to mentally assemble the complete image.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Cubism's Influence on Other Artists The chapter discusses the influence of Cubism on various artists. Despite the reluctance of Picasso and Braque to explain it, other artists began producing Cubist works. Examples mentioned include a sculpture by Henri Laurens and a painting by Juan Gris. Additionally, Sonia and Robert Delaunay developed a colorful variant of Cubism known as Orphism, highlighted by a painting from Sonia depicting a poetic journey across Russia.
• 04:00 - 04:30: Orphism and Its Eclectic Influence This chapter explores the unique art movement known as Orphism and its broader impact on other disciplines. It draws an analogy to the blurred, colorful landscape seen from a fast-moving train to illustrate the dynamic and vibrant quality of Orphist paintings, specifically those by Delaunay. The discussion also touches on how Orphism, connected to Cubism, inspired not only visual artists but also musicians and writers. The movement was appreciated for its optimism, new perspectives, and celebration of modern life.
• 04:30 - 05:00: Cubism's Optimism and World War I During the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the collaborative ventures of Braque and Picasso in cubism were halted. Braque became a soldier and was injured on the Western front, while Picasso continued his artistic pursuits in Paris, exploring new and innovative movements such as surrealism. Post-war, Picasso and Braque diverged their paths, concluding an exhilarating period of collaboration.
• 05:00 - 05:30: Conclusion: The Legacy of Cubism Between 1908 and 1914, a revolutionary way of viewing the world was created by two artists.

What is Cubism? | Tate Kids Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Paris 1908 Artists are submitting paintings  for an important exhibition One of the judges is Henri Matisse a well-respected painter who is now one of the most famous artists ever Here comes a young man with six paintings he hopes will impress the committee His name is Georges Braque and he is 26 years old
• 00:30 - 01:00 He collects posters  He peels them off the walls of Paris at night He's an artist and he's really good at sports When Matisse sees Braque’s paintings he thinks they are absurd "They're made of little cubes" he says An art critic overhears him and names this new art cubism Cubism was invented by two great friends Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso
• 01:00 - 01:30 These two friends were the same age but they were quite different Braque worked slowly and was a little mysterious  Picasso worked quickly and was very sociable   Do you know who their heroes were? The Wright Brothers who had recently invented the flying machine they even put references to flying  in their paintings Braque and Picasso wanted to be inventors too they wanted to create a new art that would astound people
• 01:30 - 02:00 they were inspired by art from around the world: African  sculptures, Japanese prints, and cave paintings They noticed that when we look at something we  can only see it from one point of view, so instead   of trying to paint things as they saw them they  wanted to paint things as they imagined instead   And that's what these artists did they imagined  objects seen from many sides and then flattened
• 02:00 - 02:30 all this down into a single picture. This meant  that they could reveal different sides of things   at the same time There are many types of cubism the first one breaks the form into geometrical shapes and is called Analytic Cubism the second one is more inventive and is based on an artist's imagination it is called Synthetic Cubism Let's look at an example of an analytic cubist painting
• 02:30 - 03:00 Braque has painted a glass on a table but it's  hard to see because the glass and the table are   shown from lots of different angles You can see the front, the back and the sides of the glass all at the same time It's like it's in a hall of mirrors or like having x-ray eyes Now here's an example of synthetic  cubism - a collage by Picasso   What objects can we see? A newspaper, a bottle, a glass, a guitar
• 03:00 - 03:30 Where might we find all these things in one place? In a cafe! It's like a riddle or a puzzle Picasso is having fun He's giving you the clues to what the picture is about Look at the guitar is it actually a guitar? Or pieces of a guitar? He wants your brain to put  the instrument together
• 03:30 - 04:00 Lots of people have tried to decipher cubism over the years but Picasso and Braque refused to explain it Other artists started making cubist artworks too like this  sculpture by Henri Laurens and this painting by Juan Gris Sonia and Robert Delaunay invented  a colourful version of cubism called orphism This painting by Sonia Delaunay illustrates a  poem describing a journey across Russia on the
• 04:00 - 04:30 trans-Siberian express You know what it's like when you look out of a window on a speeding train? How the landscape blurs and  becomes lots of different colours? This is what Delaunay is showing you in her  painting Musicians were also inspired by cubism and writers People liked cubism's optimism, how it offered  a new way of looking at things and celebrated modern life
• 04:30 - 05:00 Then in 1914, Braque and Picasso’s adventures in cubism came to an abrupt end with the outbreak of the First World War Braque served as a soldier and was wounded on the Western front Meanwhile Picasso kept working in Paris and became  interested in other ground-breaking ideas like surrealism After the war Picasso and Braque  went their separate ways but for six exciting
• 05:00 - 05:30 years between 1908 and 1914 these two  artists created something revolutionary   A whole new way of looking at the world