Is At Sunset, Bird XVI under copyright?

Yes, this artwork is still under copyright.

What is the thematic context of At Sunset, Bird XVI?

cubist exploration, fauvist impact, nature’s beauty, fleeting moment, formal simplification, artistic vision, braque’s legacy, innovative style

Kupite otisak At Sunset, Bird XVI

Osnovne informacije

Dimensions: 45.4 x 68.5 cm
Artistic style: Abstract Expressionism
Year: 1958
Location: Private Collection
Medium: Lithography on Paper
Title: At Sunset, Bird XVI
Influences: Cubism

Opis djela

Georges Braque’s “At Sunset, Bird XVI”: A Symphony of Color and Geometric Form

The artwork "At Sunset, Bird XVI," created in 1958 by Georges Braque, stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Cubism and its subsequent evolution into Expressionism. Executed in lithography on paper—a medium favored for its ability to capture subtle tonal variations—this piece embodies Braque’s masterful command of form and color, offering viewers an immersive experience rooted in both artistic innovation and profound emotional resonance.

A Pivotal Moment in Artistic Dialogue

Braque's contribution to the art world is undeniable, largely defined by his collaborative partnership with Pablo Picasso during the formative years of Cubism (1908-1912). Their shared exploration of fractured perspectives and simultaneous representation—a radical departure from traditional artistic conventions—established a cornerstone for modern art. While Braque’s work often retained a quieter aesthetic compared to Picasso's flamboyant pronouncements, their stylistic convergence underscored the intellectual fervor driving artistic experimentation at the time. This piece reflects this spirit of inquiry, questioning established norms while simultaneously celebrating visual beauty.

Lithography: Precision and Atmospheric Depth

The choice of lithography as Braque’s medium speaks volumes about his artistic sensibilities. Unlike painting, which relies on pigment layering to achieve depth and luminosity, lithography utilizes a technique involving transferring ink onto stone, resulting in remarkably precise tonal gradations and textural nuances. This meticulous process allowed Braque to convey the ethereal quality of twilight—the warm hues of sunset bleeding into the darkening sky—with remarkable fidelity. The artist skillfully employed hatching and cross-hatching to build up layers of color, creating a palpable sense of atmosphere and capturing the fleeting beauty of the natural world.

Symbolism Within Geometric Constraints

Despite its apparent simplicity—a stylized bird against a sunset backdrop—“At Sunset, Bird XVI” is laden with symbolic significance. The bird itself represents freedom, aspiration, and transcendence, mirroring Braque’s own artistic journey toward breaking free from academic constraints. Simultaneously, the geometric forms employed—primarily angular lines and planes—reflect Cubist principles of fragmentation and simultaneity, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of perception. These elements coalesce to convey a feeling of contemplative stillness, inviting viewers to contemplate the sublime grandeur of sunset and the enduring power of artistic expression.

Emotional Resonance: Capturing Transient Beauty

Ultimately, “At Sunset, Bird XVI” succeeds in evoking a powerful emotional response. The artist’s deliberate use of color—particularly the dominant orange tones—captures the radiant warmth of twilight, transporting the viewer to a moment of serene contemplation. More than just an aesthetically pleasing image, this artwork embodies Braque's belief that art should strive to capture fleeting beauty and convey profound feelings. It serves as a poignant reminder of the transformative potential of visual art and its ability to illuminate the human experience.

Biografija umjetnika

Georges Braque

Georges Braque was at the forefront of the revolutionary art movement of Cubism. His work throughout his life focused on still lifes and means of viewing objects from various perspectives through color, line, and texture. While his collaboration with Pablo Picasso and their Cubist works are best known, Braque had a long painting career that continued well beyond that period.

Though Braque started out as a member of the Fauves—a group that included Henri Matisse and André Derain among others—he began developing a Cubist style after meeting Pablo Picasso. While their paintings shared many similarities in palette, style and subject matter, Braque stated that unlike Picasso, his work was “devoid of iconological commentary,” and was concerned purely with pictorial space and composition.

Braque’s early works were impressionistic, but after seeing the work exhibited by the Fauves in 1905, Braque adopted a Fauvist style. The Fauves, a group that included Henri Matisse and André Derain among others, used brilliant colors and loose structures of forms to capture the most intense emotional response.

He conducted an intensive study of the effects of light and perspective and the technical means that painters use to represent these effects, time dovodeći u pitanje najstandardnije umjetničke konvencije. In his village scenes, for example, Braque redovito smanjivao arhitektonsku strukturu do geometrijske forme slične kocki, no predočio je njezinu sjenu tako da ona izgleda i ravna i trodimenzionalna.

A decisive moment in its development occurred during the summer of 1907, when Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso painted side by side in Céret, in the French Pyrenees, each artist producing paintings that are difficult—sometimes virtually impossible—to distinguish from those of the other.

Together, Braque and Picasso developed Analytical Cubism, dissecting objects into fragmented geometric shapes and presenting multiple viewpoints simultaneously. Works like Houses at L'Estaque demonstrate this early phase, showcasing a radical departure from conventional perspective and a focus on the underlying structure of forms.

Their palette became deliberately muted, emphasizing form over color, as they sought to represent the totality of an object’s presence rather than merely its appearance.

The invention of Cubism was a joint effort between Picasso and Braque, then residents of Montmartre, Paris. These artists were the movement’s main innovators.

Georges Braque

1882 - 1963 , Francuska

Osnovne informacije

Artistic Movement Or Style: Kubizam i Fovizam
Artists Who Influenced This Artist:
- Henri Matisse
- André Derain
- Paul Cézanne
Date Of Birth: 13. svibnja 1882.
Date Of Death: 31. kolovoza 1963.
Full Name: Georges Braque
Nationality: Francuski
Notable Artworks:
- Kuće L'Estaque
- Strpljenje
- Violina i Paletu
Place Of Birth: Argenteuil, Francuska