Emergence of Modernism

Modernism

A movement in the arts that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a deliberate break from tradition and a search for new forms of expression.

Fauvism

An early 20th-century art movement led by Henri Matisse, characterized by the use of bold, vivid colors and a focus on painterly qualities over representational accuracy.

Cubism

An art movement pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque that broke subjects into abstract forms and multiple overlapping perspectives.

Expressionism

An art movement that sought to express emotional experience rather than physical reality, exemplified by the works of artists like Edvard Munch and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.

Dada

An avant-garde movement that emerged during World War I, characterized by a radical questioning of established artistic and cultural values, often using absurdity and satire.

Ready-mades

Ordinary objects presented as art by the artist Marcel Duchamp, challenging traditional concepts of art and the artist's role.

Surrealism

An art movement that sought to explore the unconscious mind and dreams, often through bizarre and illogical imagery, represented by artists such as Salvador Dalí.

Bauhaus

A German school of design that advocated for a synthesis of art and industrial design, emphasizing functional design and cohesive aesthetics.

Abstract Expressionism

An art movement that emerged in the 1940s and emphasized spontaneous, automatic, or subconscious creation, with notable artists including Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.

Pop Art

An art movement that emerged in the 1960s, characterized by the incorporation of mass media, consumerism, and popular culture, often associated with artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

Minimalism

An art movement that sought to reduce art to its basic elements, often using simple geometric forms and monochromatic palettes.

Photorealism

A genre of art characterized by the creation of paintings, drawings, and sculptures that resemble high-resolution photographs.

Earthworks

Large outdoor environmental works of art that utilize the landscape and natural materials, often created by artists like Christo and Robert Smithson.

Performance Art

A form of art where the artist's actions are the medium; it often involves live performance and can engage with social or political issues.

Postmodernism

An art movement that emerged in the late 20th century, characterized by a skepticism of grand narratives and the embrace of diversity, irony, and eclecticism in artistic expression.