Cubism is the era of art that inspires the incredible diversity in modern styles of art. It was incredibly influential, and within itself developed and changed rapidly in a few short years. Perhaps the most well known artist of the Cubism era is Pablo Picasso. Though the general trend of the era runs in the opposite direction, Picasso’s art style shifts from the colorful and fractured to the gray and divided. Picasso’s earlier Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is the most well known work of the Cubism era, but his later Ma Jolie is more representative of Picasso’s matured style and his ideas of Cubism.

Though each era in art is revolutionary in its own ways, Cubism is the first era that breaks out of perspective that is seen literally. Everything that came before is a vision that could exist in reality, but Cubism breaks out of that mold. Its defining art style is paintings that portrays subjects in multiple perspectives in one dimension. Its defining principle is to present its subject in a greater context. While Les Demoiselles is well-remembered as the start of the Cubist movement, people often don’t recall its later developments.

 

-Jessica Ng