Critical Studies
Looking at two early works of Modernism (600-700 word) - 856 words total
In this essay, I will examine two early Modernist movements, Fauvism and Cubism. Although both of these movements involve abstraction, they each emphasize different elements within their paintings. Fauvism focuses on colour while Cubism has a focus on form.
Modernism is a global movement within the art community that emerged around the 20th century. Modernism is defined by artists who broke away from patron demands, forming the Avant-Garde. Modernism artists creates art based on their own vision, challenging social expectations and exploring new ideas and techniques that was once unachievable. The Industrial Revolution played crucial a role in this shift, as cheaper materials, like synthetic dyes, made it easier for artists to produce their work independently of patron support. Though this, artists began to push the boundaries on what is 'good' and 'bad' art, as well as rejecting old traditions.
The artist I have chosen for the Fauvism movement is Henri Matisse, who is widely regarded as its founder. Matisse was notably influenced by Moreau’s teaching that “personal expression was among the most important attributes of a great painter” [source], as well as by the technique of pointillism, which he found to be of considerable importance. Although Matisse did not use the small dots of colour typical of pointillism, he was fascinated by the way these tiny dots created harmonious visual tones. Observing pointillist paintings led him to adopt large, flat areas of colour to evoke mood, a technique that became known as "colour structure." Combining these ideas with the vibrant use of colour in post-impressionist paintings, Matisse began to work with bright colours directly from the tubes to convey emotions in his work.
Cubism, my second choice, was developed in the early 20th century, introduced a revolutionary approach to depicting reality. Cubist artists sought to convey the 3D form without traditional depth or perspective, instead presenting multiple angles at the same time to create a fragmented effect. Pablo Picasso, one of cubism's founders, used this technique to show the difference between reality and painting. He believed that when we view an object, we perceive it from various angles, and his cubist works reflect this by showing multiple perspectives in a single, flattened space. 'I painted objects as I think them, not as I see them.' [source]
The two artworks I am going to look at are 'Luxe, Calme et Volupté' (1904) by Matisse and 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' (1907) by Picasso. I chose to examine 'Luxe, Calme et Volupté' as it is one of Matisse’s early works and an example of the Fauvism movement. The painting captures everyday life on a summer’s day in 1904, showing a lively scene with a joyful, bubbly atmosphere by the sea. 'Luxe, Calme et Volupté' reflects some of Matisse's influences, such as Pointillism, but his dabs of colour hold their own place on the canvas rather than blending together, as seen in traditional Pointillism. This makes his work distinct from his influences, as he uses colour not to create an illusion of realism but to convey mood.
I chose to look at 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' as it is also one of Picasso's early works, representing a pre-Cubist style and made around the same time as 'Luxe, Calme et Volupté'. When first shown to the public, it shocked even Picasso's close friends due to both the subject matter and Picasso’s approach to painting it. 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' depicts several nude prostitutes, and while paintings of female nudes were common, Picasso’s work clearly identifies these women as prostitutes, which was frowned upon. Another element that likely contributed to the shock was how Picasso depicted the women in a less idealized way, challenging the male gaze—a rarity in traditional nude paintings.
In relation to Modernism, both paintings reject traditional expectations. 'Luxe, Calme et Volupté' disregards the need for realistic colour and adopts a broken, dot-like brushstroke, while 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' challenges traditional form and perspective. Picasso’s work goes even further, incorporating non-Western influences like African tribal masks; something that was not seen traditionally due to Western ideas that deemed non-Western art as being “primitive.” Another aspect of Modernism seen in both paintings is the rejection of traditional social norms in art. 'Luxe, Calme et Volupté' portrays everyday people rather than the elite, creating a natural, non-staged feel that’s not class-centric. In comparison to, 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' that challenges the social norms around nude art by clearly depicting prostitutes, which was highly controversial and something that was not shown clearly in traditional art due to the scandal it causes.
