Cubism is a style of painting that originated in Paris between 1907 and 1914 by the artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Cubism challenged the conventional representation of reality in art by breaking down objects into geometric shapes and showing them from multiple and contrasting viewpoints. Cubism aimed to create a new visual language that expressed the essence of things rather than their appearance.

Cubism was influenced by several artistic and cultural movements, such as African art, which inspired Picasso to use simplified and stylized forms; Cézanne’s paintings, which suggested a new way of using perspective and color; and Futurism, which emphasized dynamism and movement.

Cubism can be divided into two main phases: Analytical Cubism and Synthetic Cubism. Analytical Cubism was the first phase, which lasted from 1908 to 1912. In this phase, Picasso and Braque analyzed the structure of objects and reduced them to basic shapes, such as cubes, cylinders, cones, and spheres. They also used a limited color palette of mostly grays, browns, and blacks, to avoid any distraction from the form. They also overlapped and intersected the shapes to create a sense of depth and space. Some examples of Analytical Cubist paintings are Picasso’s Girl with a Mandolin (1910) and Braque’s Violin and Candlestick (1910).

Synthetic Cubism was the second phase, which lasted from 1912 to 1914. In this phase, Picasso and Braque introduced more color, texture, and variety to their paintings. They also used collage, which is the technique of attaching different materials, such as paper, fabric, newspaper, or metal, to the canvas. They also used stencils, letters, numbers, and musical notes to create visual effects. Some examples of Synthetic Cubist paintings are Picasso’s Still Life with Chair Caning (1912) and Braque’s Fruit Dish and Glass (1912).

Cubism was one of the most influential styles of the 20th century. It opened up new possibilities for the treatment of visual reality in art and inspired many later movements, such as Constructivism, Dadaism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism , Minimalism , and others. Cubism also influenced other fields of art, such as sculpture, architecture, literature, music, and cinema.