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The influence of African and Iberian art was profound and significant during the Cubism art period, particularly in the development of Pablo Picasso’s and Georges Braque’s styles.
African art, especially traditional masks and sculptures, captivated Picasso and other European artists during the early 20th century. The geometric simplification and abstraction of form found in African masks and sculptures inspired Picasso to explore similar concepts in his own work. He was particularly drawn to the expressive power and symbolic meanings conveyed through African art.
Picasso, being Spanish, also drew inspiration from the art of the Iberian Peninsula, including ancient Iberian sculptures. The stylized forms and geometric abstraction seen in Iberian art resonated with Picasso’s artistic sensibilities and contributed to the development of Cubism. Picasso’s interest in Iberian art is evident in his famous painting “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (1907), which incorporates elements of Iberian sculpture.
The fascination with African and Iberian art led to a broader interest in primitivism among Cubist artists. Primitivism involved a deliberate return to more “primitive” or non-Western artistic traditions, seeking inspiration from so-called “primitive” cultures for their perceived authenticity and expressive power. This interest in primitivism fueled the exploration of simplified forms, geometric abstraction, and raw expression in Cubist artworks.
African and Iberian art provided Cubist artists with new formal strategies and techniques for representing the world. The geometric simplification and stylization seen in African masks and Iberian sculptures encouraged artists to move away from naturalistic representation toward a more abstract and expressive mode of depiction. This shift towards abstraction laid the groundwork for the development of Cubism as a revolutionary art movement.
The influence of African and Iberian art on Cubism extended beyond the early 20th century and continued to resonate in modern and contemporary art. The embrace of non-Western artistic traditions and the exploration of abstraction and symbolism inspired by African and Iberian art laid the foundation for subsequent developments in modern art, influencing movements such as Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, and beyond.