Georges Braque Paintings

Georges Braque was a major 20th-century French painter, collagist, draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor. His most important contributions to the history of art were in his alliance with Fauvism from 1905, and the role he played in the development of Cubism. Braque’s work between 1908 and 1912 is closely associated with that of his colleague Pablo Picasso. Their Cubist works were indistinguishable for many years, yet the quiet nature of Braque was partially eclipsed by the fame and notoriety of Picasso.

Born in Argenteuil, Val-d'Oise, he grew up in Le Havre and trained to be a house painter and decorator like his father and grandfather. However, he also studied artistic painting during evenings at the École des Beaux-Arts from about 1897 to 1899. He moved to Paris for additional training at the Académie Humbert, where he developed a friendship with Marie Laurencin and Francis Picabia.

Braque's earliest works were impressionistic, but after seeing the work exhibited by the Fauvist artists at the Salon d'Automne in 1905, Braque adopted a Fauvist style. The Fauves, a group that included artists like Henri Matisse, André Derain, and Maurice de Vlaminck, were known for their use of bright, exuberant colors and dynamic brushstrokes. Braque’s landscape paintings from this period are characterized by bold color and a disregard for realistic representations.

The year 1907 was a significant turning point for Braque, as it was for the art world in general. The unveiling of Pablo Picasso's seminal work 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' marked the beginning of a new direction in art. Braque's subsequent work began to reflect his exposure to Picasso and to the work of Paul Cézanne, whose retrospective in 1907 had a major impact on the direction of the avant-garde in Paris. By 1909, Braque had begun to develop a more structured approach to composition and form, which ultimately led to the establishment of Cubism as an art movement.

Braque and Picasso worked closely together during the next few years, experimenting with the concept of breaking down objects into basic geometric shapes and depicting them from multiple perspectives simultaneously. This analytical approach to painting called into question the traditional representation of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional canvas. The two artists also pioneered the use of collage and mixed media, integrating elements such as newspaper clippings and pieces of fabric into their works, which introduced new textures and meanings.

During World War I, Braque served in the French Army and was severely injured. His wartime experiences deeply affected him and influenced his subsequent artwork. After the war, he developed a more personal style, characterized by a more somber palette and a return to a more orthodox form of representation. His later work showed a renewed interest in nature and landscapes, and he also explored themes such as the human figure and still life.

Braque continued to paint until his death in Paris in 1963. His legacy includes not only his pivotal role in the establishment and development of Cubism but also his innovation in the use of collage and the profound influence he had on successive generations of artists.