ARH 1000 FIU I and the Village by Marc Chagall Discussion
ANSWER
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is the title.
Pablo Picasso, artist
Year: 1907
Oil on canvas, 8′ x 7′ 8″ (243.9 x 233.7 cm), material
Cubism movement/Category
Analysis:
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso is a revolutionary piece that represents a turning point in the development of modern art. The artwork produced in 1907 during the Cubist movement is renowned for its dramatic deviance from accepted artistic norms. The artwork includes five female figures with highly geometric shapes and twisted features; two have African and Iberian elements.
By challenging traditional perspective and representation, the painting’s angular and broken composition exposes the observer to a multidimensional and disjointed reality. Picasso’s artwork clearly shows the influence of African and Oceanic art due to the characters’ mask-like faces and general abstraction. This piece of art pushes the limits of how the human body is represented, urging viewers to reevaluate what they think representation and beauty are.
It is common to see Les Demoiselles d’Avignon as a commentary on colonialism, the complexity of human sexuality, and the shifting roles of women in contemporary society. It is the result of Picasso’s research of shape and space, which served as the starting point for the Cubist movement, which saw the dismantling and complex reassembling of everyday objects.
Beyond its creative advances, this painting is significant as a statement of disruption and a portent of new artistic trajectories. Picasso’s work opened the door for later movements like Abstract Expressionism and Surrealism by questioning the status quo, ultimately changing the course of art in the 20th century.
Sources:
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
The Art Story: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso
Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is taught at Khan Academy
QUESTION
Description
Research a piece of art from 1900-1960. Categories include but are not limited to: Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Modernism, Italian Futurism, Dada, Surrealism.
In doing your research, give the piece some context. Go a bit beyond formal analysis and provide whatever information you feel is imperative in understanding the work of art you chose. As always, you can look back at content we have covered previously in this course to help with forming your analysis. And remember, your analysis can be critical – you don’t necessarily have to like the piece you choose to share.
1) Provide an image of the piece. Be sure to include the title, material, dimensions, artist, year and specifically which movement/category it is from.
2) Give your analysis **5-7 sentences**
3) Cite your sources & link to websites you used
Some places to start searching:
https://artsandculture.google.com/ (Links to an external site.)
https://www.metmuseum.org/ (Links to an external site.)
https://www.oxfordartonline.com/
https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/collections (Links to an external site.)