Expressionism and Cubism were two influential art movements that emerged in the early 20th century, and they represent two very different approaches to art-making.
Expressionism emerged in Germany and Austria in the years leading up to World War I. Expressionist artists sought to express subjective feelings and emotions through their art, often using bold colors and distorted forms to create a sense of intense emotion and psychological tension. Expressionist art is often characterized by its rough, spontaneous brushwork and a focus on the inner world of the artist.
One of the most prominent Expressionist artists was the German painter, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Kirchner’s works often depicted city life and the alienation and isolation of modern urban society. He used distorted forms and bold colors to create a sense of unease and anxiety, and his paintings are often seen as a response to the political and social upheavals of the time.
Another prominent Expressionist was the Austrian painter Egon Schiele, who is known for his raw, emotional depictions of the human figure. Schiele’s works often featured twisted, contorted bodies, and a sense of physical and psychological unease. Schiele’s art was highly controversial at the time, as his frank depictions of sexuality and death were seen as shocking and taboo-breaking.
Cubism, on the other hand, emerged in France in the early 20th century and represented a radical departure from traditional representational art. Cubist artists sought to break down the traditional conventions of painting and sculpture, using geometric forms and multiple perspectives to create a fragmented, abstracted vision of reality. Cubist art is often characterized by its use of sharp angles and bold, flat colors.
Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were the pioneers of Cubism, and their early works were often indistinguishable from one another. Picasso’s groundbreaking painting, “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” marked a turning point in the development of Cubism, as he abandoned traditional perspective and representation in favor of a fragmented, abstracted vision of the human form.
Braque, meanwhile, was interested in breaking down objects into their component parts, using a technique known as “analytic cubism” to create a sense of multiple viewpoints and overlapping planes. Both artists were interested in exploring the way in which we perceive and understand the world around us, and their works had a profound influence on the development of modern art.
Expressionism and Cubism represent two very different approaches to art-making, with Expressionism focused on subjective emotions and psychological states, and Cubism focused on the fragmentation and abstraction of reality. However, both movements were highly influential in the development of modern art, and their legacy can be seen in the work of artists working today.
Expressionism and Cubism paved the way for other important art movements, such as Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, and Minimalism, which built upon the innovative techniques and ideas developed by these early 20th-century artists. The legacy of Expressionism and Cubism can be seen in the ongoing quest for new forms of artistic expression and the exploration of new ways of seeing and understanding the world around us.