Eugene Henri Paul Gauguin, an artist, printmaker and expert in woodwork, is now recognized for his experimental use of color and synthetist style that was considered a startling departure from the Impressionist methods that came before. An important artist from the Post-Impressionism Era, Gauguin’s work was influential to the French avant-garde and many modern artists who name him as a great innovator, Pablo Picasso being one of such. Gauguin was a figure in the Symbolist movement and his bold use of color led to the eventuality of modern art, specifically the Synthetist style.
From the efforts of art dealerAmbroise Vollard who organized exhibitions of his work late in his career, Gauguin gained some posthumous praise and is now considered one of the great artists who paved the way to new modern expressions of art.
The art of Cubism burst onto the Paris scene in the early 1900s and spanned less than a decade. In that short time period, it would change the art movement of the 20th century. Its avant-garde nature would spurn critics and audiences alike to call the art “weird” and initial scathing critiques showered the movement. But soon enough, it would usher in one of the most influential art revolutions of its time.
Pioneered by seven artists including Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Le Fauconnier, the intention of the artists was to move two-dimensional forms into three-dimensional ones — and was greatly influenced by the latter works of Paul Cézanne.
The foundation of a cubist artist’s method is to take a subject and re-introduce the object into abstract forms which are not centralized on one focal point, but many viewpoints. The intention is to give alternate realities when a viewer discovers the piece.
Cubism’s influence went on to inspire an ongoing exploration of modernism, including Orphism, Abstract art and later Purism.
About the Author
A finance executive with more than three decades of experience in investment banking, Irvin Goldman currently manages investments as president of Validity Holdings in New Jersey. Learn more about Irvin.
