Comparing Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles D Avignon And Fountain

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Title: "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon"
Artist: Pablo Picasso
Stylistic Period: Modernism
Date: 1907

Title: "Fountain"
Artist: Marcel Duchamp
Stylistic Period: Modernism (Dada movement)
Date: 1917

Pablo Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" and Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" are both significant works of art from the Modernism period, but they represent different subgenres within Modernism. "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" is associated with the Cubist movement, while "Fountain" is associated with the Dada movement. Despite these differences, both works challenge traditional artistic conventions, provoke controversy, and push the boundaries of what art can be. "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" is a painting on canvas, created using oil paint and traditional …show more content…

The painting depicts five female figures in a fragmented and geometric style, with distorted bodies, sharp angles, and bold colors. It challenges the traditional concept of perspective and representation in art, breaking away from the realistic depiction of the human form. In contrast, "Fountain" is a ready-made artwork, an everyday object presented as art without any artistic intervention or traditional artistic techniques, which Duchamp created by presenting a urinal as an artwork. Duchamp's act of recontextualizing an everyday object as art challenges the traditional notions of artistic skill, originality, and the role of the artist as the sole creator. Another difference is in their iconography and composition. "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" depicts five female figures in a Cubist style, with fragmented bodies and bold colors. The painting is known for its provocative and controversial depiction of the female body, which challenges traditional norms of beauty and representation. On the other hand, "Fountain" has no traditional …show more content…

"Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" was initially met with shock and criticism when it was first exhibited due to its unconventional style and depiction of the female body. It was seen as a radical departure from traditional art and questioned the established norms of beauty and representation. Similarly, "Fountain" caused a scandal when it was submitted to an art exhibition in 1917, and it was rejected by the jury. Duchamp's work challenges the conventional notions of art and raises questions about the value and meaning of art objects. In terms of political or historical influence, "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" is often seen as a precursor to the feminist art movement, as it challenges conventional depictions of the female body and raises questions about gender, sexuality, and power dynamics. It also reflects Picasso's response to the changing social and cultural climate of the early 20th century, marked by the rise of modernity, industrialization, and the influence of African and Iberian art. On the other hand, "Fountain" is associated with the Dada movement, which emerged during World War I as a response to the absurdity and disillusionment of the war. Dada artists, including Duchamp, rejected conventional art norms and embraced anti-art and anti-establishment