Artist of the day, May 21: Georges Braque, French painter, collagist, draughtsman, printmaker and sculptor

Georges Braque (1882 – 1963) 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 1906, 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.

Braque's style changed after World War I, when his art became less structured and planned. A successful exhibition in 1922 at the Salon d'Automne in Paris garnered him much acclaim. A few years later, renowned dancer and choreographer Sergei Diaghilev asked Braque to design decor for two of his ballets at the Ballets Russes. The end of the 1920s saw another style change as Braque began painting more realistic interpretations of nature, though he never strayed far from Cubism, as there were always aspects of it in his works.

Braque started to engrave plaster in 1931, and his first significant show took place two years later at the Kunsthalle Basel. He gained international fame, winning first prize in 1937 at the Carnegie International in Pittsburgh.

During World War II Braque remained in Paris. His paintings at that time, primarily still lifes and interiors, became more somber. In addition to paintings, Braque also made lithographs, engravings, and sculptures. From the late 1940s he treated various recurring themes such as birds, ateliers, landscapes, and seascapes. In 1954 he designed stained-glass windows for the church of Varengeville. During the last few years of his life, Braque’s ill health prevented him from undertaking further large-scale commissions, but he continued to paint, make lithographs, and design jewelry.

© 2018. All images are copyrighted © by Georges Braque or assignee. The use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained.

Mr Georges Braque

The Studio

1905, Bateau au Havre

1906, Anvers

1906, Femme nue assise, de dos

1906, Le canal Saint-Martin

1906, Nature morte aux pichets

1906, Paysage a L'Estaque

1906, Paysage près d’Anvers

1906-07, Les grand arbres, L'Estaque

1907, Paysage de la Ciotat

1907-08, Viaduc de l'Estaque

1908, Arbres à L'Estaque

1908, Instruments de musique

1908, Le Viaduc de L'Estaque

1908, Maisons de L'Estaque

1908, Maisons et arbre

1909, Bateaux de pêche

1909, Le Pyrogène et le quotidien Gil Blas

1909,Port en Normandie

1909-10, La guitare

1909-10, Verre sur la Table

1910,11, Bouteille et poissons

1910, Nature morte (Violon et Compotier)

1911, Clarinette et bouteille de rhum sur une cheminée

1911, Le bougeoir

1911, Nature morte avec Banderolles

1911-12, Jeune fille à la croix

1911-12, L'homme à la guitare

1912, Compotier et verre

1913, Femme à la Guitare

1913, La table du musicien

1913, Violon et pipe

1917, Le compotier de raisin

1925, Verre et assiette de pommes

1929, La table ronde

1929, Les trois bateaux

1935, Nature morte

1937, la Pianiste

1938, Nature morte de la guitare

1942, Grand intérieur avec palette

1942, La Patience

1942, Le moulin à café

1942, Poissons noirs

1945, Le Billard

1949,  Pichet et journal

1950, Le Viaduc de l'Estaque

1955, profil de femme

1956, L'echo

1956, Nature morte et pommes

1960, L’oiseau noir et l’oiseau blanc

1961, Deux Oiseaux

1961-62, Georges Braque. Das graphische Werk

1962, L'ordre des oiseaux (3 of 12)