Western Art Movements II Art Movements    

Lesson 16: Cubism - Three Musicians (1921)

by Pablo Picasso

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's movement.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

The final example of cubism is 'Three Musicians,' created by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso in 1921. Recall that Pablo Picasso is known as the pioneer of cubism. In this work, three musicians sit together and play while wearing flamboyant costumes. According to [2], from left to right, Pierrot, playing a clarinet, wears a blue and white suit, Harlequin, playing a guitar, wears a checkered orange and yellow costume, and a friar, singing and holding sheet music, wears a black robe. A pipe rests on a table before the musicians with a dog lounging below. Also according to [2], Picasso meant this painting to be considered as a still life. Like other cubist works, a fractured appearance, three-dimensionality, sharp angles, and the depiction of natural forms as geometric structures characterizes the piece.

Vocabulary

Cubism: An avant-garde artistic movement in the early 20th Century characterized by the depiction of natural forms as geometric structures of planes.
Pierrot: A character from French pantomime; a buffoon in a loose white outfit.
Harlequin: A pantomime fool, typically dressed in checkered colorful clothes.
Friar: A member of religious order.

Concepts

Featured Movement:

1. Name - Cubism
2. Peak Prevalence - 1907-1914

Movement Characteristics:

1. Geometric shapes (squares, rectangles, etc.)
2. Three-dimensionality
3. Fractured appearance
4. Sharp angles rather than flowing curves
5. Note the geometric shapes, three-dimensionality, fractured appearance, and sharp angles exemplified by Pablo Picasso's 'Girl with a Mandolin' (1910), an example of a cubist artwork

Common Coinciding Genres:

1. Landscapes - 'Quarry Bibémus' (1900) by Paul Cézanne

2. Portraits - 'Soldier at a Game of Chess' (1915) by Jean Metzinger

3. Cityscapes - 'La ville no. 2' (1911) by Robert Delaunay

4. Still Lifes - 'Violin and Candlestick' (1910) by Georges Braque

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• Friar
• Sheet Music
• Someone Singing
• Harlequin
• Guitar
• Pierrot
• Clarinet
• Table
• Dog

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Map the Artwork

• Pablo Picasso was born in Spain.
• Find Spain on the map of the world.

Activity 4: Classify the Artwork

• This artwork belongs to the cubism art movement.
• Find cubism on the timeline.
• During which approximate years did cubism flourish?
• Which art movement followed cubism?

Activity 5: Recreate/Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 19 of 'Fifth Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

What is cubism?

1 / 7

Answer 1

Cubism is an artistic movement in the early 20th Century characterized by the depiction of natural forms as geometric structures of planes.

1 / 7

Question 2

Into which genre does the artwork fall?

2 / 7

Answer 2

According to [2], the artist considered the artwork a still life.

2 / 7

Question 3

What happens in the artwork?

3 / 7

Answer 3

The artwork shows three costumed musicians, two playing instruments and one singing.

3 / 7

Question 4

To which western art movement does this painting belong?

4 / 7

Answer 4

This painting belongs to the cubism art movement.

4 / 7

Question 5

How does the artwork serve as an example of cubism?

5 / 7

Answer 5

The painting's geometric shapes, fractured appearance, and three-dimensionality are all characteristic of cubism.

5 / 7

Question 6

Which genres commonly coincide with cubism?

6 / 7

Answer 6

Landscapes, portraits, cityscapes, and still lifes often coincide with cubism.

6 / 7

Question 7

During which century was this artwork created?

7 / 7

Answer 7

This artwork was created in the early 20th century (1921).

7 / 7

❮ ❯

1. What is cubism? Cubism is an artistic movement in the early 20th Century characterized by the depiction of natural forms as geometric structures of planes.
2. Into which genre does the artwork fall? According to [2], the artist considered the artwork a still life.
3. What happens in the artwork? The artwork shows three costumed musicians, two playing instruments and one singing.
4. To which western art movement does this painting belong? This painting belongs to the cubism art movement.
5. How does the artwork serve as an example of cubism? The painting's geometric shapes, fractured appearance, and three-dimensionality are all characteristic of cubism.
6. Which genres commonly coincide with cubism? Landscapes, portraits, cityscapes, and still lifes often coincide with cubism.
7. During which century was this artwork created? This artwork was created in the early 20th century (1921).

References

'Cubism.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Three Musicians, 1921 by Pablo Picasso.' Pablo Picasso. www.pablopicasso.org/three-musicians.jsp. n.p.