French painting in the modern era refers to painting done in the French tradition during the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. French painters of the modern era include Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Georges Seurat.
Pablo Picasso
Is one of the most famous painters of the 20th century. He was born in Spain in 1881 and moved to France in 1904. Picasso is best known for his Cubist paintings, which broke with traditional perspectives and instead used geometric shapes to depict objects. He also co-founded the Cubist movement with Georges Braque. In addition to his Cubist paintings, Picasso also worked in a variety of other styles throughout his career, including Surrealism and Expressionism. He was a prolific artist who produced thousands of paintings, sculptures, and prints. Picasso died in 1973 at the age of 91.
Bernard Buffet
Was a French painter of the Post-World War II era. He was born in Paris in 1928, and he died in 1999. Buffet was a prolific painter, and he produced thousands of paintings in his lifetime. Many of his paintings were of religious subjects, and he also painted portraits and landscapes. His style was highly stylized, and his use of color was very intense. Buffet was also a printmaker, and he produced many lithographs and etchings.
Buffet's work was popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but his later work was met with critical disdain. Buffet's work is now mostly forgotten, but he was once one of the most famous painters in France.
Georges Braque
Georges Braque was one of the most influential modern French painters. He was one of the founders of the Cubist movement, and his work helped to shape the direction of 20th-century art. Braque's early work was heavily influenced by the work of Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin, and he later developed his own unique style of Cubism. Braque's work is characterized by its use of geometric shapes and bold colors, and it often features everyday objects such as bottles and newspapers. Braque was also a skilled draughtsman and printmaker, and his work has been widely celebrated for its beauty and originality.
Albert Gleizes
Was born in Paris in 1881. After studying law and literature, he turned to painting in 1900. His work was first shown in 1902, in an exhibition of the Societe des Artistes Independants. In 1905 he met Pablo Picasso, who was to have a profound influence on his work. In 1910 Gleizes exhibited at the Salon d'Automne, where his work was denounced by the critic Louis Vauxcelles as being 'like a garage'. However, Gleizes was not deterred and continued to develop his own style of painting, which was based on the principle of 'simultaneity'. This principle, which he first formulated in 1912, was based on the belief that all objects in the universe are connected and interdependent. Gleizes was also a member of the Section d'Or group of artists, who were associated with the Cubist movement.
Gleizes was a prolific painter and also wrote several books on art theory, including Du Cubisme, which was co-authored with the painter Jean Metzinger. He also taught at the Academie Julian in Paris and the College de France. Gleizes died in 1953.
Fernand Léger
was a French painter who is best known for his paintings of urban scenes. His work is characterized by its bold colors and simple, geometric forms. Léger was a leading member of the Cubist movement, and his work was instrumental in developing the style. In addition to his paintings, Léger also produced a number of sculptures and films.
Léger was born in 1881 in Argentan, France. He originally studied engineering, but he later turned to painting. He first gained recognition for his paintings of Parisian life, which were shown at the Salon des Indépendants in 1908. Léger's work from this period is often referred to as his "Nude Period" because of the frequent appearance of nude figures in his paintings.
In 1910, Léger met the painter Pablo Picasso, who introduced him to the Cubist style. Léger was soon a leading member of the Cubist movement, alongside Picasso and Georges Braque. His work from this period is characterized by its use of geometric forms and Cubist techniques such as collage.
Léger served in the French army during World War I, and he was wounded in 1916. After the war, he returned to Paris and resumed painting. In the 1920s, Léger began to experiment with abstraction, and he also produced a number of sculptures. He also created a number of films, including the 1924 film "Ballet Mécanique."
Léger continued to paint and experiment with new styles throughout his career. He died in 1955 in France.
Robert Delaunay
Was a French artist who is credited with being one of the founders of the Orphism art movement. His work is characterized by its use of bright colors and geometric shapes. Delaunay was born in Paris in 1885 and first studied art at the Académie Julian. He later attended the École des Beaux-Arts. During his early career, Delaunay was influenced by the work of Paul Cézanne and Georges Seurat. He also became friends with the artist Henri Matisse. In 1912, Delaunay began to experiment with abstraction. He was one of the first artists to use the technique of staining glass with colors. Delaunay's work was exhibited in the Salon des Indépendants in 1912. His work was also included in the seminal 1913 Armory Show in New York City. Delaunay served in the French army during World War I. After the war, he returned to Paris and continued to paint. He died in Paris in 1941.
Jean Metzinger
Was a French painter who was one of the leading figures of the early 20th-century art movement known as Cubism. His major works include the paintings "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" and "Nude Descending a Staircase". Metzinger was a prolific artist and also wrote several essays on art theory. He is credited with coining the term "Cubism" to describe the style of painting that he and his fellow artists developed.
Kurt Schwitters
Was a German artist who is best known for his contributions to the Dada and Constructivist movements. He was born in Hanover, Germany in 1887 and died in 1948. Schwitters was a prolific artist and produced a wide range of work including paintings, collages, assemblages, and installations. His most famous work is the Merzbau, a large sculpture made from found objects which he began constructing in his home in Hanover in 1923. The Merzbau was destroyed by the Nazis in 1937, but Schwitters continued to make smaller versions of it throughout his life.
Joan Miró
Was a Catalan painter who became one of the most famous representatives of Surrealism. His work is characterized by its use of bright colors, its childlike simplicity, and its ability to provoke dreamlike states in viewers. Miró was born in Barcelona in 1893, and he first gained recognition for his work in the 1920s. He later moved to Paris, where he associated with other important Surrealist artists, including Salvador Dalí. In the 1930s, Miró returned to Spain, where he continued to produce innovative and influential paintings until his death in 1983.
Marcel Duchamp
Is best known for his 'readymades' - everyday objects that he selected and then declared to be art. He is also famous for his painting Nude Descending a Staircase, which caused a sensation when it was first shown in 1913. Duchamp was a key figure in the Dada movement and is often seen as one of the most important artists of the 20th century.
