Comparative Analysis between Picasso and Matisse - Essay Example

Comparative Analysis between Picasso and Matisse The paper is aimed to present a comparative analysis between two artistsfrom the modern era specifically between Renaissance and the 20th century. Based on the said objective, the two most influential artists of the period had been chosen, namely Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. To be able to achieve the objective of the paper, the life and artistic styles and techniques of each artist are presented. Subsequently, the comparative analysis of their styles is undertaken to present a view on the similarities and differences of the two artists. Life and Styles of the Two Artists Picasso Pablo Picasso was recognized as one of the most brilliant artist in his time. He was even referred to as the genius of the century in the book written by Walther (2000). This can be attributed to the fact that his works are exceptional not only in quality but also in number. He excels in different fields of visual arts such as painting, sculpture, etching, and ceramics (Walther 7). But in all the accomplishments that he had achieved in his life, one of the most noteworthy is his contributions to the establishment of Cubism, which was considered as the most influential artistic movement in the twentieth century because it had altered the development not only of the European art but all forms of visual arts. Cubism initiated the rediscovery and the modernization of the different art forms based on the liberal and avant-garde principles inculcated in the style (Cottington 3). Picasso can be equated to Cubism. This is not only due to the fact that he can be defined as an artist who is free from any form of categories since he can express himself through any style of art. This is similar to the definition of Cubism, which had started a new culture in terms of visual art style, since it did not conform in the classical or traditional form of art. Due to the fact that Picasso is one of the founders and forerunners of Cubism, his most influential and most memorable art works had been produced during the period. One of the paintings that contributed to the onset of Cubism is Picasso’s 1907 painting entitled Les Demoiselles d’Avignon or The Young Ladies of Avignon. The painting shows five nude female figures in provocative poses. Three of the women were portrayed with Picasso’s signature faces while the other two were portrayed with African mask-like faces. There are different points on the painting that can be related to the style of Picasso. Based on experts, it is the time when the African communities were discovered, thus, the fascination for the savage depicted both by the masks and the nudity can be observed (Walther 26). On a personal note, the artwork is a bold move to challenge the traditional culture. The nudity and the topic exploring prostitution is a challenge to the closed minded and traditional perspective of the European society during that time. Parallel to the said objective is the challenge of a new visual arts technique that is cubism. Prior to the said art work, the form of the human body is not ordinarily distorted. But in the said painting, Picasso attempted to use a bold method that constraints the perspective of the audience to the two-dimensional form of the canvas or the paper. The second painting is the Three Musicians which was made in 1921 as a representation of the continuous development of Cubism. The said painting was recognized as a form of Synthetic Cubism. In the painting, there are three figures described as a (Source: Walther 35) Figure 1. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907). Harlequin, a Pierrot and a monk known to represent Picasso and his two friends Guillaume Apollinaire and Max Jacob (Walther 56). Based on the aesthetic review of the painting, the style used by Picasso can be compared to animated form of Cubism. In this style, the figures of the characters in the painting are not as evident. This can be attributed to the fact that the shapes of the different parts of the body are only represented in 2 dimensions. Compared to the first painting, the style of Synthetic Cubism such as the Three Musicians is more distorted and further from the images and forms of humans perceived in real life. Compared to other paintings, this can be considered to explore the personal relationships that Picasso had. Thus, the subject matter explored in the painting is comparatively lighter than other paintings that he made. (Source: Walther 56) Figure 2. Three Musicians (1921). The third painting that had been studied is the Massacre in Korea which was made in 1951. It explored the critical view of Picasso against the American intervention during the Korean War. The topic of the painting is related to the social issues during the post war period, specifically portraying the Sinchon Massacre that occurred in 1950. The painting is another expression of Picasso’s bold nature and his capability to express his views without fear or doubt. The nudity of the victims in the painting represents the vulnerability of the people to violence brought about by people with guns and arms which were depicted by stronger lines in the figures. Although the painting cannot be included in his Cubism paintings, it represented the range of styles that he can give. (Source: Walther 93) Figure 3. Massacre in Korea (1951). Matisse Henri Matisse is a French artist known for his diverse skills in different types of visual arts such as painting, sculptures and etchings. The mains contributions of Matisse are the advocating decoupage and leading the Fauves, a group of artists who used bright and bold colors in expressing their points of view (Sturm 5). The first artwork that represents Matisse is the Luxe, Calme et Volupte, or the Luxury, Calm and Pleasure which was made in 1904. The style used in the painting is pointillism and impressionism. Bright colors had been used which is one of the main styles used by the Fauves. The bright colors in the painting are surrealistic in terms of the fact that such objects have different colors in real life. This can be attributed to the fact that the main focus of the style of the Fauves is the expression of the emotions and feelings (Sturm 5). Figure 4. Luxe, Calme et Volupte (1904). The second painting that represents Matisse is the Woman with a Hat which was is also an expression of the bold colors that he defines his style. It can greatly be observed in the painting that although the figure of the woman was made realistic, the colors that had been used created a surreal mood. Figure 5. Woman in a Hat. The Woman Reading is the third artwork that was chosen because it presented a different style that was used by Matisse. The said painting is a very realistic representation of a woman who is reading quietly in a room. Upon analysis of the said artwork which had been made in the early part of his career, it can be considered that he had undertaken a drastic development in terms of style. From the use of dark and tamed colors, he turned out to be the founder of Fauves and expressed arts through bold shapes and bright colors. Figure 6. Woman Reading. Comparison between Picasso and Matisse Based on the data gathered and the study on the lives and works of Picasso and Matisse, there are various points of similarities and differences. One point of similarity between the two artists is their fearless expression that resulted to their contributions in revolutionizing the filed of visual arts. This can be seen in their impressionist style, bold colors, fearless shapes and the non-conforming use of different techniques regardless of the fact that it contradicts to the classical and traditional perspective greatly accepted by the public. Another point is that Picasso and Matisse both expressed strong social and political perspectives in the subject matters that were explored in their art. This can be considered as one of the main reasons why they were inclined to non-traditional styles of art. The two artists have more similarities than differences. The only main difference is that Picasso focused on the dimensions while Matisse used bold colors. Another evident difference is the development of style. Picasso’s point of view can already be observed in the early part of his career. On the other hand, Matisse techniques in terms of colors and figures in the early part of his career are very different from the period of the Fauves. They were able to work together and were considered to have worked for similar goal which is related to the development of visual arts. Every artist is different but Picasso and Matisse had similar goals, similar inspirations, and similar will to undertake their plans and objectives. Works Cited: Cottington, David. Cubism and its Histories. Manchester University Press, 2004. Sturm, Ellen. Matisse. Capstone Press, 2006. Walther, Ingo F. Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973: Genius of the Century. Taschen, 2000. Read More