Question

What is the form of Georges Braque's painting titled 'The Portuguese'?

1) Vertically orientated 45-inch canvas with a monochromatic color scheme
2) A self-consciously 'Modern' approach to painting
3) Depictions of Portuguese guitar player performing in a cafe
4) Cubist exploration of multiple viewpoints on a single surface

Answer 1

Georges Braque's 'The Portuguese' is a Cubist painting that breaks down the subject into fragmented, geometric forms to represent multiple viewpoints within a monochromatic color scheme.

Step-by-step explanation:

Georges Braque's painting titled 'The Portuguese' is an exploration of Cubism, characterized by an analytic approach where the subject is depicted from multiple viewpoints on a single surface. In this particular painting, Braque breaks down and reassembles the figure of a Portuguese guitar player and the surrounding environment into fragmented, geometric forms. This method, developed alongside Picasso, found inspiration in the ideas of Cézanne and the Renaissance, but sought to represent all aspects of a subject simultaneously on a flat canvas. Braque used monochromatic color schemes and heavy lines to define these forms, paving the way for Analytic Cubism.

The Portuguese fits the description of a self-consciously 'Modern' approach to painting (2) and is a Cubist exploration of multiple viewpoints on a single surface (4), echoing Braque's desire to depict objects from different perspectives within a fragmented, geometric expression on the canvas. The painting does not show a vertically oriented canvas (1) nor does it focus on a literal depiction of a Portuguese guitar player in a cafe (3)).