Influential artist Georges Braque held strong views on what the future direction of art should be. As a co-creator of the Cubist movement, many would listen to his views. Besides Braque, those looking to learn more about the rise of the cubist movement should also consider the views of Picasso and Gris. They were all confident individuals, and needed to be so, as their modern approach to art would always place them in direct conflict with some of the more traditional art critics. At this time the written press was crucial in shaping public opinion and so the cubists had a a big challenge on their hands in order to woo the different sections of society. Therefore, besides their own unique artistic talents, they also required a strong resolve, almost stuborness, in order to continue a long a path which would be far harder to achieve success in, when they were all still capable of working more traditional if they had wished.
Despite his own inner confidence, Georges Braque was certainly less gregarious than either Gris or Picasso. He was highly intelligent and witty, but prefered the company of just a few, rather than large crowds at major events. He certainly has been reported as an observant individual who would often let others do the talking, whilst he was evaluating his own thoughts and opinions. Despite that, we still have plenty of quotes from his life and career, the most poignant and inspiring of which we have included within this section. Some of these were spoken, others have been taken from letters and other correspondence that have been uncovered from his many close friendships within the art world. Further below are also some quotes and opinions from others regarding his own artistic legacy and the particular strengths of his work.
Famous Quotes by Georges Braque
Truth exists; only lies are invented.
Art is made to disturb, science reassures.
Once an object has been incorporated in a picture it accepts a new destiny.
Painting is a nail to which I fasten my ideas.
Reality only reveals itself when it is illuminated by a ray of poetry.
There is only one valuable thing in art: the thing you cannot explain.
To define a thing is to substitute the definition for the thing itself.
With age, art and life become one.
Emotion should not be rendered by an excited trembling; it can neither be added on nor be imitated. It is the seed, the work is the flower.
The painting is finished when the idea has disappeared.
The goal is not to be concerned with the reconstitution of an anecdotal fact, but with the constitution of a pictorial fact.
In art, progress lies not in an extension, but in a knowledge of limitations.
Nature is a mere pretext for a decorative composition, plus sentiment. It suggests emotion, and I translate that emotion into art.
Progress in art does not consist in reducing limitations, but in knowing them better.
We will never have repose. The present is perpetual.
I like the rule that corrects emotion.
One has to guard against a formula that is good for everything, that can interpret reality in addition to the other arts, and that rather than creating can only result in a style, or a stylization.
It is the unforeseeable that creates the event.
Quotes about Georges Braque by Art Historians and Fellow Artists
Along with Cubism, Braque used the styles of Impressionism, Fauvism and collage, and even staged designs for the Ballet Russes. Through his career, his style changed to portray somber subjects during wartime and lighter, freer themes in between. He never strayed far from Cubism, as there were always aspects of it in his works. Braque died on August 31, 1963, in Paris.
Biography.com
Georges Braque, French painter, one of the important revolutionaries of 20th-century art who, together with Pablo Picasso, developed Cubism. His paintings consist primarily of still lifes that are remarkable for their robust construction, low-key colour harmonies, and serene, meditative quality.
Britannica.com
Though Braque started out as a member of the Fauves, 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 sought balance and harmony in his compositions, especially through papier collés, a pasted paper collage technique that Picasso and Braque invented in 1912. Braque, however, took collage one-step further by gluing cut-up advertisements into his canvases. This foreshadowed modern art movements concerned with critiquing media, such as Pop art.
TheArtStory.org
Georges Braque was a major 20th-century French painter, collagist, draughtsman, printmaker and sculptor. His most important contributions to the history of art were in his alliance with Fauvism from 1905, and the role he played in the development of Cubism. Braque's work between 1908 and 1912 is closely associated with that of his colleague Pablo Picasso. Their respective Cubist works were indistinguishable for many years, yet the quiet nature of Braque was partially eclipsed by the fame and notoriety of Picasso
Wikipedia
