Cubism & Picasso

Cubism was really the first style of abstract art which became popular in the early 20th century and has been made famous by artists like Picasso and Braques.  Cubists wanted to challenge the idea of conventional forms and representation and played with perspective.  Many Cubist paintings depict people, places or objects from different angles and constructed of planes, forms and colours.

There were really two periods of Cubism - Analytical and Synthetic.  Analytical Cubism in which an artist would analyse a subject and create an image that created a sense of the subject by depicting it from different viewpoints and using geometrical shapes.  These early Cubist works were usually in muted tones and quite subdued.  Synthetic Cubism was a move towards a more abstract style with more colour and decorative styling.  Some of the characteristics of Cubism are colours, patterns and textures that alter between geometric shapes to freehand, with elements of dark and light, positive to negative, and plain to patterned.

Picasso is my favourite Cubist.  I am also intrigued by the fact that he painted several portraits of Dora Maar.  Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar were involved in a relationship for quite some time both personally and artistically.

Here are some of Picasso's portraits of Dora Maar:

My favourite one is this one:

This has the typical characteristics of geometrical to freehand, of colour and patterns and showing the face from two perspectives in that the face appears to be in profile yet we see both nostrils and both eyes.  Her skin colouring is quite unnatural and she seems closed in in her space.  It intrigues me that her lower hand looks quite normal but her hand by her face is quite spiky looking and menacing.  Her cheek also appears as though a rosy apple is sitting upon it.  It's almost as if the softness and attractiveness of the apple draws you in but you need to be careful of the thorns along the way.  Kind of like another story about Adam and Eve perhaps?  But why is she sitting in such a confined space?  Almost like she is in a box?