Cubism Art Movement, and Its Analytical and Synthetical Forms

Developed in the early part of the twentieth century, Cubism introduced a reconstruction of space and the ideas of space being comprised of geometric and mathematical forms. As a result of artists no longer reflecting actual subjects and observations, it was common for people to reject the changes in art, as there was a new reality being introduced to the world and it wasn’t easily understood. On the other hand, it could be said that rather than introducing new interiors, Cubism examined the notion of space as multi-dimensional and multi-durational. The qualities of interiority were also challenged by Cubism, as people’s sensory experiences changed visually.

Revolutionizing Spatial Perception

Breaking with the traditional pictorial technique of one-point perspective, the Cubist movement offered a new reality of space; one that was centred around human experience. As it was the principle of drawing, spatial perceptions were demonstrated through geometric figures, leading to an abstraction of what viewers have been previously taught to see. Rather than a literal representation of a subject, this abstraction involved an emphasis on the qualities of space, mass and volume; the concept of which was considered a ‘revolutionary approach to the depiction. French poet, Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918) argued that it was due to the artist’s intention ‘…to find a pleasure other than the one which the spectacle of natural things could just as well provide’ that literal representation was no longer of importance. Ultimately, Cubism is distinguished by ‘not an art of painting, but an art of conception’, referring to the concept of reality, or one that has been fabricated in order to express three dimensions. The movement emphasises the notion that three dimensions cannot be shown through rendering reality as it is, rather, it requires the qualities of forms to be disfigured and rearranged. In terms of making revolutionary approaches, Cubism also offered a new vantage point of height.

The Impact of Modern Architecture

In the new age of the machine, the Eiffel Tower was a structure that became a sort of monument for the people, giving them a different view of the world, as everything previously had been one-dimensional and at one level. The new age of the machine also meant that there was a significant interest in alternate ways of seeing, which is reflected by Robert Delaunay’s, ‘Windows’ (1912)’. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower’s light refractions, the painting captures not an ‘actual subject’, but rather, the atmospheric changes in light over time. The notion that space is comprised of multiple moments and views in time emphasises the interactive and ongoing quality of time that can reveal beyond what the eyes already see.

Fragmentation and Interpretation

In turn, the dissection of space that the Cubists introduced revealed surfaces and facets that combined to create either a fragmented image, or a composition that became more recognisable to the viewer. This faceting meant that space could be pulled apart to reveal other material qualities and views, as opposed to having a singular volume of space. Through this method of arrangement, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were able to analyse shape and form further, leaving the final image open to interpretation for the viewer. It is for the viewer that they left the responsibility of ‘…preoccupying themselves with possible new measures of space’. As a result, it could be said that Delaunay’s painting reflects the analytic phase of Cubism (1908-1912), that saw an overlay in views and angles of the Eiffel Tower, in order to capture all sides. Variations in transparency, as well as the intersecting lines suggest that the space is infinite and encourages alternate readings of the painting.

Challenges in Understanding

Alternatively, the ambiguity left by the Cubists also results in a lack of understanding towards the endpoint and what the viewer is appreciating. As expressed by critic Pierre Reverdy in 1917, ‘this confusion has now lasted long enough…not only among the public, but among the artists themselves’, emphasising that the movement was never a coherent one. This new perception introduced by the Cubists posed the issue that the viewer is able to see art through an artist’s perspective, however, they may not have any other perception of the world and humanity other than through that new art. Conflicted emotions expressed by artists, Mr de Saint-Marceaux and Mr. Denys Peuch, who referred to the movement respectively as an ‘invasion of systematic ugliness in art‘ and that ‘to wish to express life with geometric forms is to defy common sense’, highlights the issue that people of the time were unable to reach the same conclusion if they weren’t able to share the same mentality as the new painters. However, Cubism encouraged that freedom to depict reality however the artists wanted, which also intrigued others.

Experiential Shifts in Interiority

Furthermore, Cubism’s multi-dimensional depiction of interiors altered the way in which people experienced space. Apollinaire stated that these new ‘painters offered us works which are more cerebral than sensual’8, with the implication that Cubist art requires the viewer to make sense of what they’re seeing. In comparison to traditional art, it allows t