Cubism

What is cubism?

Cubism is a movement that breaks reality down into geometric shapes and shows it from several perspectives at the same time. Artists abandoned the idea of a single fixed viewpoint and deconstructed the object into different planes and shapes. In doing so they sought to capture the changeability with which we perceive things in time and space. We distinguish between analytical and synthetic cubism — two phases in how artists came to terms with this breaking down.

When and how did cubism come about?

Cubism arose at the beginning of the twentieth century thanks to Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. At first they applied their method to still lifes, later also to portraits and landscapes, which they broke down into shapes and planes. The aim was not merely to simplify the object but to analyse it and reassemble it as we perceive it from several sides. From there the movement influenced not only painting but sculpture and architecture too.

Who are the most important cubists?

Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are considered the fathers of the movement, having literally invented cubism. In the Czech context an exceptionally strong chapter grew up around artists such as Emil Filla and Bohumil Kubišta. Interestingly, a creative rivalry existed between them that drove them both on: Filla followed Picasso's line, while Kubišta adapted the movement to his own ends. Collectors today value both positions.

How does cubism stand in the Czech context?

Cubism was of exceptional importance here and even developed in architecture, which is unique in the world. One of the most famous buildings is the House at the Black Madonna in Prague by Josef Gočár. Czech artists also applied cubist principles to the applied arts, still highly valued today — to furniture and objects of everyday use. Where else in the world would you find a cubist lamp or sofa?

How does cubism do on the art market?

On the market, cubist works are among the most stable investments, and Picasso himself is regarded as blue chip, a safe bet. The domestic scene is strong too: Kubišta's Staropražský motiv of 1911 was auctioned in 2022 for 123.6 million crowns, thanks in part to its exceptional provenance (documented ownership history). At the time it was a Czech auction record, overtaken in April 2024 by Kupka's Početí, auctioned for 126.5 million crowns. The story and the documented origin of a work play a decisive role here.

— Anna Pulkertová, founder of Art Part Club