Blog #13.  Dec. 3, 2022.  

 Cubism and the Trombe l' Oeil Tradition

Ο κυβισμος και η trombe l'οeil παραδοση στην τεχνη

Η προσφατη εκθεση κυβισμου και  trombe l'οeil εργων τεχνης στο Μετροπολιταν Μουσειο συγκρινε πινακες με δυο διαφορετικες τεχνοτροπιες.  Προτου εφευρεθη η φωτογραφια οι καλλιτεχνες αναπαραστουσαν την πραγματικοτιτα οσω πιο πειστικα μπορουσαν.  Στις αρχες του 20ου αιωνα ζωγραφοι οπως ο Πικασσο, ο Mπρακ, και ο Γκρις  εδωσαν εμπαση στις γραμμες και τα βασικα σχημαατα  και εκαναν κολλαζ κομματια απο εφημεριδες, σκοινια, ξυλα αντι να τα ζωγραφισουν.  Παρουσιαζω μερικα παραδειγμαατα απο τις δυο τασεις.  (Κλικ την κιτρινη γραμμη)

https://youtu.be/x-733sBOlB4 

Cubism Re-examined  

The recent exhibit Cubism and the Trombe l' Oeil Tradition at the Met  reviewed the concept of "art as depiction of the real world"  before and after the invention of photography.  Cubism was an artist's reaction to photographic depictions of the world emphasizing the shapes and forms of the visual composition.

In 1888 the American painter William Michael Barnett painted Still Life-Violin and Music in a trombe l'oeil style.  His aim was to faithfully represent what he saw. 

William Michael Barnett, Still Life Violin and Music, 1888

By 1912  artists had realized that realistic trombe l'oeil art was replaced by photography.  Their solution to art-as-depiction-of-the-real-world was a tongue in cheek collage response by collaging the real thing on the canvas.  Picasso added real newspaper pieces, pieces of wood and even surrounded his composition with a real rope instead of painting one.

                               Pablo Picasso, Still Life With Chair Caning, 1912

In 1657 Jacques Samuel Bernard painted Still Life With Violin in a trombe l'oeil manner.

 while by the beginning of the 20th century the artists had moved to a fragmented reality analyzing shapes and volumes.

Juan Gris, Still Life with Guitar, 1913

George Braque, Fruit Dish,  1912

The trombe l'oeil attitude in art is best summarize by Picasso's quote:

"Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth. The artist must convince others of 

the truthfulness of his lies."

 

Pablo Picasso, May 1923.

In today's art scene where photorealism continues the trombe l'oeil tradition, cubism stays by itself as an early 20th century European art form.

 

Enjoy art.  Till next time.

Catherineabramsartworks.com