The History of Cubism, Explained Simply
2026-05-05 · 6 min read
Cubism is the art movement that broke painting open and made modern art possible. If you have ever wondered what Cubism actually is — beyond "those weird angular Picasso paintings" — here is the simple version.
How it started (1907–1909)
Cubism began in Paris when Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque started painting objects as if seen from several angles at once. Picasso's 1907 Les Demoiselles d'Avignon is usually called the first step. Instead of one fixed viewpoint, they fractured subjects into geometric planes — questioning the whole idea of how painting represents reality.
The two main phases
- Analytic Cubism (c. 1909–1912): subjects broken into complex, overlapping facets in muted browns and grays. Form is "analyzed" into fragments.
- Synthetic Cubism (c. 1912–1919): simpler, flatter shapes, brighter color, and the introduction of collage — pasting paper, newsprint, and texture into the work.
Why it mattered
Cubism rejected the single-viewpoint "window" that art had used since the Renaissance. That one idea unlocked abstraction, Futurism, Constructivism, and most of 20th-century art. It made the act of seeing the subject of the painting.
Cubism today
The movement never really ended — it evolved. Its newest chapter is digital cubism, which applies the same multi-perspective, fractured language using digital tools and algorithms. To see how the historic and the contemporary compare, read digital cubism vs traditional cubism.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented Cubism?
Cubism was pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in Paris around 1907–1909.
What are the two types of Cubism?
Analytic Cubism (c. 1909–1912), which fractures subjects into muted overlapping facets, and Synthetic Cubism (c. 1912–1919), which uses simpler, brighter shapes and introduces collage.
Why is Cubism important?
Cubism abandoned the single fixed viewpoint that art had used since the Renaissance, making the act of seeing the subject of the work. It opened the door to abstraction and most of modern art.