Table of Contents
Year: 1883-1887
Material: oil on
canvas
Size: 61 x 50 cm
Location: Muse
dOrsay, Paris
Year: 1885-1887
Material: oil on
canvas
Location: The
Museum of Modern
Art, New York
Lillie P. Bliss
Collection
Year: 1890-1892
Material: oil on
canvas
Size: 47.5 x 57 cm
Location: Muse
dOrsay, Paris
leaned towards the classical arts, he was frame of mind, because Europe was in
one of the last painters of the 20th century crises, its situation was uncertain, due to
that valued technique over massive the world wars and could no longer
production, being extremely honest with consider itself the center of the world.
paint. This artist was seeking for expression, innovation and wanted to
perfectionism and also he was starting to break the rules, the 1920s and 1930s were
bring more emotion to the canvas. I chose a period of great creative ferment as well
colors and brushstrokes and was able to Matisse brought some originality to the
create perfect shapes without the use of artistic field, although considered
very bald patterns. The post-impressionist traditional by some critics, his contribution
artists were just one step behind the to Modern Art cannot be denied, from
would break every old concept, opening the notion of depth and reality, his
the doors for considerable changes in the audacity opened the door to new styles.
Year: 1916
Location: Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New
York
Material: oil on
canvas
Artist: Henri
Matisse
Location:
Hermitage, St.
Petersburg
Title: Harmony in
Red
Year: 1908
Material: oil on
canvas
Location:
Hermitage, St.
Petersburg
colored the human form, a landscape or an and 1916, primary in Italy, having after its
object. As he said, what he created after concepts spread to other countries. The
his illness constituted his real self. Also, main characteristics of this movement
what may have been fundamental for him were the depiction of speed, urban life and
to assume his own style is the fact that the technology, because the world lived a
was much less aggressive than in the scientific discoveries. Various manifestos,
beginning of his career. The Dance, from conferences, events and debates
my point o view, is the painting that best concerning Futurism took place over that
translates Matisses art, because it contains time, with the purpose of defining weather
both elements that renders Matisses work the Futurist concepts could be applied in
terms of elements and details, but it is still arts, music and theater. In this context, one
extremely audacious, due to the way he of the most famous painters of the period
combines the colors and disobeys the was Umberto Boccioni (1882-1916), an
sense of depth, escaping from reality and Italian artist, who was also a sculptor and
diving purely into the emotion of the created remarkable pieces. Generally, the
Year: 1911
Artist: Umberto
Boccioni
Size: 70 x 75 cm
Title: Elasticity
Year: 1912
Material: oil on
canvas
Artist: Umberto
Boccioni
Location: Civico
Museo dArte
Contemporanea,
Collection Ricardo
Jucker, Milan
Title: Materia
Year: 1912-13
Material: oil on
canvas
Artist: Umberto
Boccioni
Location: Gianni
Mattioli Collection
(on hold with the
Peggy Guggenheim
Collection, Venice)
Year: 1907
Material: oil on
canvas
Location:
Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New
York
As mentioned above, Les
positioned in the same line, so there is no
Demoiselles dAvignon was Picassos first
3D length in this piece. At the same time
Cubist painting, his previous idea was
the artist has built value through the way
painting a scene in a brothel, where there
created shade, emphasizing the geometric
would be two man and five women,
and sharp shapes, especially of the fabric.
however, he changed his mind and ended
This piece is very light, being the
up changing it. So this composition is
predominant color patterns white and
about five nude feminine figures, probably
tones of beige, which brings out the human
in a brothel, the two in the center are very
figures. In terms of mood, this painting
similar and are positioned as if they were
shows a very relaxed scene, the women
laying on a bed, being partly covered by
stand comfortably in their positions, as if
the bed sheets, whereas the one in the
they were taking some rest, or sharing a
extreme left is standing as well as the one
moment together. In this context there
on the top right, and the fifth figure is
seems to be little movement in this piece,
sitting with her back turned to the viewer.
except for the two women in the right, one
Their shapes vary, while the women in the
appears to be opening a curtain, and the
center are presented in a more ordinary
other is turning her head backwards, to the
and clear way, although very triangular, the
direction of the viewer. The elements of
two figures in the right side are more
this composition are similar in shape, size
fragmented and they seem to be wearing
and color, they occupy the whole space of
African masks. There is no depth in this
the canvas, yet, they are not crowding it,
painting, apparently, the forms are all
which is why this piece contains balance.
Year: 1907-1908
Material: oil on
canvas
Location:
Hermitage, Saint
Petersburg
Location: Museo
Reina Sofia, Madrid
Year: 1905
Location: Galleria
Nazionalle dArte
Moderna, Rome
Title: Judith II
Year: 1909
Material: oil on
canvas
Size: 178 x 46 cm
Location: Galleria
Internazionalle
dArte Moderna di
Ca Pesaro, Venice
Year: 1910
Material: oil on
canvas
Location: Narodni
Gallery, Prague,
Czech Republic
Title: Impression
III (Concert)
Year: 1911
Material: oil on
canvas
Artist: Wassily
Kandinsky
Location:
Stdtishe Galerie
im Lenbachhaus,
The Age of Avant-Gardes Munich Page 23
audience, the painting is almost half and colors to express emotions and vitality,
covered by monochromatic patterns (and there are distinct elements in it and they
very opposite ones), which is why this seem to be in rotation. There can be
piece lacks balance and harmony. detected a movement that starts in the
Furthermore, the shapes are not very well right side of the canvas going up, then
defined, although there is an outline dropping down, which forms an arch of
indicating human figures, the painting has energy. The artist applies opposite colors
some loose strokes covering the canvas (red and blue), but makes a great transition
randomly. The forms in this piece are between them, through the use of white
postponing one another, so there is no 3D he does not allow them to encounter a
length added to it, but since the audience direct contrast. On the subject of mood,
is slightl inclined to the stage, it can be said this piece has a bit of a grave character, as
that there is a little depth in the image. if there was an explosion of turbulent
With regards to movement, the scene feelings in the right side of the canvas, but
depicts a crowd that might be driven by this event was restrained by the black arch,
the music and interacting, therefore one which made them go back to a less
can notice a little turmoil going on. enthusiastic condition. Concerning the
shapes of this painting, one can notice that
The composition entitled Picture
they are somehow geometric, since the
with a Black Arch, also by Kandinsky, is a
arch is triangular and it postpones a square
pure abstract image, making use of forms
element, which is just next to a red circle in
Year: 1912
Material: oil on
canvas
Artist: Wassily
Kandinsky
Location: Muse
National dArt
Moderne, Centre
George Pompidou,
Paris
Year: 1933
Material: oil on
canvas
Artist: Wassily
Kandinsky
Location:
Gauggenheim
Museum, New
York
Year: 1914
Size: 65 x 54 cm
Location: Philadelphia
Museum of Art,
Philadelphia
Title: L.H.O.O.Q.
Year: 1920
Artist: Marcel
Duchamp
Location: Private
collection
Title: Chessboard
Year: 1937
Material:
readymade, wood
Artist: Marcel
Duchamp
Size: 70 x 70 cm
Location: Private
collection
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Documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=CIq-m_-clJw