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Cubism is an art movement that began over 100 years ago, where artists tried to show things in a new way. Instead of drawing or painting objects as they normally look, cubist artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque broke them down into simple shapes, like cubes, triangles, and circles. They would show the front, back, and sides of an object all at once, almost like taking something apart and putting it back together in a different way. This made their artwork look unusual and sometimes puzzling, but it was an exciting way to make people think about art differently!

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Impressionism began in the 1860s in France, and continued into the 1890s. It started when a group of artists wanted to capture light and colour in a new way, often painting outdoors. Their goal was to show how things looked at a specific moment, emphasising the effects of light and atmosphere, rather than focusing on details. This was characterised by short, quick brushstrokes and an unfinished, sketch-like feel. Impressionist artists used modern life as their subject matter, painting situations like dance halls and sailboats rather than historical and mythological events.

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Why is it called impressionism?

The thing is, impressionist artists were not trying to paint a reflection of real life, but an 'impression' of what the person, light, atmosphere, object or landscape looked like to them. And that's why they were called impressionists! They tried to capture the movement and life of what they saw and show it to us as if it were happening before our eyes.

Who were the impressionists?

Some of the main impressionist artists are Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas.

How did they paint?

Before impressionism, landscapes in art were often imaginary, perfect landscapes painted in the studio. The impressionists changed all that. They painted outdoors.

As they were outside, they looked at how light and colour changed the scenes. They often painted thickly and used quick (and quite messy) brush strokes. In most of the paintings before impressionism, you can't really see the brushstrokes at all.

Camille Pissarro gave this advice about how to paint an impressionist landscape:

Work at the same time on sky, water, branches, ground, keeping everything going on an equal basis...Don't be afraid of putting on colour...Paint generously and unhesitatingly, for it is best not to lose the first impression.

Were there women impressionists?

Berthe Morisot became a successful artist but her family did not encourage her to paint professionally.

American artist Mary Cassatt joined the impressionists for some of their later exhibitions in Paris. She was determined to be a successful artist. In the United States she wasn't allowed to paint from live models because she was a woman.

Was impressionism only in France?

Artists in other parts of the world were also inspired by this idea of capturing scenes of everyday life. This is a painting by a British artist named Philip Wilson Steer.

He managed to capture the magic and excitement of a day at the seaside. Look at the sunlight sparkling off the sea!

There were also painters in the United States who were impressionists. Childe Hassam created lively paintings of city life in New York and Theodore Robinson was best known for his scenes of everyday life in the countryside.

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Find out what is impressionism with this art homework guide, includes facts for kids.

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"Water Lilies"

Resource: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/16568/water-lilies

About the Artwork: Monet’s "Water Lilies" series, painted between 1896 and 1926, shows his garden pond with water lilies floating on the surface. Monet was fascinated by how light changed throughout the day and captured this in his paintings.

Why It's Important: This series is a great example of how Impressionist artists focused on light and atmosphere rather than clear details. Monet wanted viewers to experience the feeling of being in the garden, surrounded by nature.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Light and Time: Monet painted the same scene over and over but at different times of the day to show how light can change the way things look. The way the water reflects the sky and trees shows how everything in nature is connected.

Peace and Reflection: The calm water and soft colours make the painting feel peaceful, inviting us to slow down and appreciate the beauty of nature.

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Water Lilies | The Art Institute of Chicago

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"Impression, Sunrise"

The piece of art that inspired the name of this movement.

About the Artwork: Painted in 1872, this artwork depicts the port of Le Havre, Monet’s hometown, at sunrise. The quick, visible brushstrokes and the focus on the light reflected in the water gave rise to the term "Impressionism." Critics originally mocked the painting, saying it looked unfinished, but it eventually became the defining work of the movement.

Why It's Important: This painting captures the essence of Impressionism: focusing on the impression or feeling of a moment rather than fine details. The use of colour and light is key.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Capturing a Moment: Monet wasn’t trying to paint every detail but instead focused on the light and colours at that moment, showing how the sun rises and changes everything around it.

New Ideas in Art: This painting wasn’t meant to be perfect. It shows how the world looks when you see it quickly, capturing the feeling of a sunrise rather than the exact details.

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Monet was born in Paris in 1840 and as a child he showed great talent as an artist. In 1872 he painted a picture of a harbour using very loose brushstrokes. He called the picture Impression, Sunrise and exhibited it along with paintings by his friends who also painted 'en plein air'. The artists became known as the impressionists after the title of Monet's painting.

Impressionism is a style of painting that began in France in the early 1860s when artists started painting pictures outside, rather than in their studios. This was called 'en plein air' (which is French for open air). They wanted to capture moments in time. Because the light conditions kept changing, they had to work very quickly, using quick, gestural brushstrokes of paint. This picture by another impressionist artist shows Claude Monet painting outside.

This picture of water lilies was part of a series Monet painted of his water garden at his house at Giverny. They are the most celebrated paintings of Monet's career. Today we call these pictures abstract-impressionist paintings, because the surface of the pond fills the entire canvas with light and colour and the picture looks almost abstract.

If you look closely at the painting, can you see how Monet has tried to capture light and reflection on the surface of the water by using dabs of white paint?

Monet painted water-lilies in all seasons and in all weathers for over 30 years.

This particular painting of water-lilies was painted after 1916, during a very sad time in Monet's life. His wife had died and his son had been killed in the First World War. The fighting was so close to Monet's house that he could hear the guns from his garden.

Do you think it is strange that he painted such a calm and beautiful picture when there was chaos all around him? Perhaps he wanted to paint something that made him happy, like his pond.

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Monet was born in Paris in 1840 and as a child he showed great talent as an artist. In 1872 he painted a picture of a harbour using very loose brushstrokes. He called the picture Impression, Sunrise and exhibited it along with paintings by his friends who also painted 'en plein air'.

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"Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette"

About the Artwork: "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette" shows a fun and lively afternoon at a dance garden in Paris, painted in 1876 by Renoir. The painting is filled with people talking, dancing, and enjoying themselves. Renoir loved capturing everyday life, and this artwork shows ordinary Parisians, not rich or famous people, relaxing and having fun with their friends.

Why It's Important: "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette" is one of the most celebrated examples of Impressionism. It captures a real moment in time with bright colors and natural light, making viewers feel like they are part of the lively scene. The painting is also an excellent example of how Impressionist artists depicted ordinary people enjoying everyday life, which was a departure from the formal portraits and historical scenes typical of earlier art movements.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Light and Happiness: Renoir used sunlight and warm colors to make the scene feel happy and bright. The light shines through the trees, reflecting on the people’s faces, showing how the sun can make a moment feel magical. The quick, soft brushstrokes make it seem like the figures are moving, helping you feel the energy of the scene.

Celebrating Everyday Life: Instead of painting kings, queens, or battles, Renoir wanted to show how important and beautiful everyday life can be. This was a big idea for Impressionist artists—finding beauty in simple, real-life moments.

Joy of Community: The painting also represents togetherness and friendship. Renoir captures how people connect with each other by dancing, talking, and just being around friends. It’s a reminder that happiness often comes from the moments we share with others.

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Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France, the child of a working class family. As a boy, he worked in a porcelain factory where his drawing talents led to him being chosen to paint designs on fine china. He also painted hangings for overseas missionaries and decorations on fans before he enrolled in art school.

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Surrealism emerged in the 1920s and was prominent into the 1940s. It began in Paris, led by poet André Breton, who wrote the Surrealist Manifesto. Surrealism explored dreams and the unconscious mind, aiming to create strange, fantasy-like and often unsettling art.

Artists unleashed the power of imagination through their art.

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Now you know a little more about surrealism, what do you think?

Which surrealist artist is your favourite?

What unexpected things would you put together? How about drawing a tree wearing a scarf or a squirrel with a monocle?!

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What is Surrealism? Find out with this art film, includes homework help and facts for kids about Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Dorothea Tanning.

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Surrealism was an art and cultural movement which began in 1920.

The name was invented in 1917. Guillaume Apollinaire wrote the program notes for the ballet Parade, which was created for the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. This was a collaborative work by Jean Cocteau, Erik Satie, Pablo Picasso and Léonide Massine. The program notes ran:

"From this new alliance... there has come about, in Parade, a kind of super-realism ('sur-réalisme'), in which I see the starting point of a series of manifestations of this new spirit".

The movement grew out of Dadaism. This was, amid the horrors of World War I, a protest at the meaningless of civilised life.

At the same time the work of Sigmund Freud began to filter through, and affect the literary and art worlds. André Breton was trained in psychiatry, and during the war he worked in a hospital where he used Freud's methods on shell-shock patients. Not surprisingly, Breton influenced many writers and artists after the war.

Freud's work placed emphasis on the subconscious mind, and its role in steering behaviour and emotion. His way of using free association, and dream analysis to get a clue to the subconscious was picked up by the surrealists. They painted dreamlike fantasies, and practised automatic drawing without sight: 'automatism'.

In 1924, Breton wrote a Surrealist Manifesto, which defined surrealism as:

"Psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express -- verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner -- the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by the thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern".

Breton discussed his first encounter with the surreal, in a description of a hypnagogic state, in which a strange phrase inexplicably appeared in his mind: There is a man cut in two by the window. This phrase illustrates Breton's view of Surrealism as two distant realities brought together to create a new, uncanny union.

Surrealist works have an element of surprise: unexpected items are placed next to each other for no clear reason. Many Surrealist artists and writers see their work as an expression of the philosophical movement first and foremost. The works are an artifact, and André Breton said that Surrealism was above all a revolutionary movement. From the 1920s in Paris it spread around the globe. It influenced films such as the Angel's Egg and El Topo.

Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Man Ray, André Masson, Joan Miró and Marcel Duchamp were some of the best-known surrealist artists.

Surrealist films

Man Ray made the first surrealist film: Return to reason (1923).Luis Buñuel and Dali made two well-known surrealist films: Un chien andalou (1929) and L'Âge d'or (1930). Jean Cocteau made three films, known as the Orphic Trilogy: Le Sang d'un poète (1930), Orphée (1950) and Testament of Orpheus (1960), which includes a cameo appearance by Pablo Picasso.

Images for kids

Cover of the first issue of La Révolution surréaliste, December 1924.

Yvan Goll, Surréalisme, "Manifeste du surréalisme," Volume 1, Number 1, October 1, 1924, cover by Robert Delaunay

André Masson. Automatic Drawing. 1924. Ink on paper, 23.5 x 20.6 cm. Museum of Modern Art, New York.

René Magritte's "This is not a pipe." The Treachery of Images 1928-29, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Max Ernst, L'Ange du Foyer ou le Triomphe du Surréalisme (1937), private collection.

Yves Tanguy Indefinite Divisibility 1942, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York

Roberto Matta. Elle Loge La Folie, oil on canvas, 1970.

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Surrealism was an art and cultural movement which began in 1920. The name was invented in 1917. Guillaume Apollinaire wrote the program notes for the ballet Parade, which was created for the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev. This was a collaborative work by Jean Cocteau, Erik Satie, Pablo Picasso and Léonide Massine.

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"The Persistence of Memory"

About the Artwork: Painted in 1931, this famous surrealist work shows melting clocks draped over objects in a dreamlike landscape. The landscape itself is based on Dalí’s hometown in Catalonia, but the melting clocks represent the fluidity of time in the dream world. The painting makes viewers question reality and the passage of time.

Why It's Important: "The Persistence of Memory" is an iconic piece of Surrealism that uses strange, unexpected imagery to represent deeper ideas about time and perception.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Time is Strange: The melting clocks show that time isn’t always the same in our minds. It can feel fast or slow, especially when dreaming.

Dreams and Reality: Dalí mixed real things (like the landscape) with strange, dream-like objects (the melting clocks) to make us question what’s real.

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The Persistence of Memory ( Spanish: La persistencia de la memoria; Catalan: La persistència de la memòria) is a painting by artist Salvador Dalí. It was done in 1931. It is one of his most famous paintings.

The painting was first shown in 1932. It has been in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City since 1934. The painting typifies what critics call " surrealism". It is easy to recognise and is often used in popular culture.

Description

The painting was the first to have a melting pocket watch, called a "soft watch". Some people thought that the soft watch was inspired by Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. Dalí said that the watches were not inspired by the theory of relativity, but by Camembert cheese melting in the sun.

There is a human in the middle of the painting. The orange clock at the bottom left is covered in ants. Dalí often used ants in his paintings as a symbol for death.

The Persistence of Memory uses "the exactitude of realist painting techniques". In practice, the painting looks more like something a person might see in a dream, rather than awake.

The rocks to the right are supposed to be a tip of the Cap de Creus peninsula in north-eastern Catalonia. Many of Dalí's paintings were inspired by the landscapes of Catalonia. There is a strange shadow in the foreground of the painting, which is a reference to Mount Pani.

Dalí returned to this idea with The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory (1954). This painting is in the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. The first Persistence of Memory is in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Dalí also made many lithographs and sculptures of soft watches.

Images for kids

The Shanghai copy of the sculpture Nobility of Time

In Spanish: La persistencia de la memoria para niños

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The Persistence of Memory Facts for Kids

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Learn The Persistence of Memory facts for kids

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Salvador Dalí made paintings, sculptures and films about the dreams he had. He painted melting clocks and floating eyes, clouds that look like faces and rocks that look like bodies.

Sounds weird right? Think about what your paintings would look like if you painted your dreams? I bet they would be pretty weird too!

Dalí was involved with surrealism. This was an art movement where painters made dream-like scenes and showed situations that would be bizarre or impossible in real life. Look at this painting above - does the lake look like a fish to you?

This sculpture above is by another famous surrealist artist called René Magritte. I wonder why he has painted a head full of clouds?

Surrealist artists were influenced by a famous psychoanalyst called Sigmund Freud. A psychoanalyst is a doctor who studies the human mind and tries to understand it. Freud believed our mind was divided into two parts: the conscious part and the unconscious part. The conscious mind is what we use to make decisions every day, like whether we walk or ride a bike to school. The unconscious mind is where our memories are stored. Most of the time we are not aware of our unconscious mind, but sometimes the memories stored there get mixed up in our dreams and this is what Dalí tried to paint.

Dalí was born in 1904 in Figueres, Spain which is near the Pyrenees Mountains. Surrounded by this landscape as he was growing up, Dalí often included the scenery he saw as a boy in his paintings.

Look at the painting above. Can you see the Spanish landscape in the background? The hand holding the egg mirrors the man sitting in the water. There are a lot of odd things going on in the background that don't seem to be connected. What else can you see?

Salvador Dalí was a very eccentric man. Here is a picture of him

You can always recognise him because he has a funny moustache. He liked to dress in crazy clothes and have long hair which people found very shocking at the time.

Dalí was even expelled from art school just before his final exams because he said that none of the teachers were qualified to examine him. Cheeky!

Salvador Dalí went to Paris after leaving art school, which was where he met the surrealists. The surrealists appealed to his wild sense of humour, they invented surrealist games and enjoyed putting different objects together to make something playful and disturbing at the same time. Here is Dalí's version of a surrealist sculpture. It is called Lobster Telephone. You couldn't call anything on that!

What two objects would you put together to create a surreal sculpture?

In 1936 the Spanish Civil War broke out and Dalí was greatly affected by it. This is a painting Dalí made about the war.

The background is mainly brown, yellow and black, representing the Spanish landscape. The strange forms in the foreground represent a man and a woman. It's pretty gross, but they are eating bits of each other's flesh with a knife, a fork and a spoon. Dalí uses this shocking idea to say something very powerful and important. He is saying that by fighting, the Spanish people are destroying their country and each other.

When Dalí was in Paris he also made a film with the director Luis Buñuel called Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog). It was the first surrealist film and had no plot, just a series of scenes that only slightly link together. Later, Dalí went to Hollywood and worked on other films with famous directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney.

Dalí liked to use lots of different materials to make art, including paint, sculpture and film. He even designed furniture, jewels and scenery for theatre production. He was a man of many talents and he is still seen as a great artist who influences many artists today!

What do you think of Dalí's artwork? Is it funny, weird...scary?

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Salvador Dalí made paintings, sculptures and films about the dreams he had. He painted melting clocks and floating eyes, clouds that look like faces and rocks that look like bodies. Sounds weird right? Think about what your paintings would look like if you painted your dreams? I bet they would be pretty weird too!

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"The Son of Man"

About the Artwork: Created in 1964, this painting shows a man in a bowler hat with an apple floating in front of his face. Magritte liked to play with the idea of what people expect to see and how easily those expectations can be challenged. The painting makes viewers think about what is hidden versus what is visible.

Why It's Important: This artwork is a great example of Surrealism’s focus on playing with reality and making viewers think deeply about ordinary things presented in unusual ways.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Hidden and Seen: The apple hides the man’s face, making us wonder why. Magritte wanted to show that even though something is hidden, it’s still there. It makes us think about what we see and don’t see in life.

Challenge to Reality: Magritte loved playing with reality, showing everyday objects like a man and an apple but in a strange, unexpected way.

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Find out who is René Magritte with this art homework guide, includes facts for kids

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Minimalism started in the 1960s in New York as a group of younger artists began to question the more expressive art styles like Abstract Expressionism. It focused on simplicity, using basic shapes, clean lines, and limited colours. The movement continued into the 1970s. Minimalist artists wanted to strip away excess and focus on the essential elements of the artwork - what was right in front of them.

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"Untitled"

About the Artwork: Donald Judd's "Untitled" works, often made from industrial materials like metal or Plexiglas, feature simple geometric shapes repeated in precise ways. These sculptures emphasize the physical presence of the objects and remove any personal expression or symbolism, focusing purely on form.

Why It's Important: This piece is a classic example of Minimalism, where simplicity and structure are the focus. Sometimes less is more and that art doesn’t have to be complicated to have meaning.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Simplicity and Form: Judd wanted to show that art doesn’t need to represent something or tell a story. He focused on shapes and how they are arranged, making the viewer notice the materials and the space around them.

Less is More: By using simple shapes, Judd made people think about how even basic objects can be art.

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DONALD JUDD : What is the symbolism behind his art ?

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"Black Paintings"

About the Artwork: Frank Stella’s "Black Paintings" (1958-1960) are large canvases filled with simple, repetitive black lines. Stella removed emotion and subject matter from his work, focusing on the artwork as an object in itself rather than a depiction of anything.

Why It's Important: These paintings emphasise simplicity and form without the need for symbols or hidden meanings.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Shape and Structure: Stella’s paintings show that art can just be about lines and space, without any hidden meaning or message. He removed all personal emotion and focused only on the shapes and patterns.

Order and Simplicity: The repetitive black lines show that sometimes, order and simplicity are enough to create something powerful.

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What inspired him?

This crazy coloured painting is by Frank Stella and it is called Hyena Stomp. It was painted in 1962 and the title comes from a melody written by the jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton. Yes that is his real name! Stella loved jazz, when he was at college he used to collect early American jazz records. What he liked most about jazz was syncopation, which is when the melodies sound offbeat and a bit unexpected. In Hyena Stomp Stella is trying to do the same kind of thing with painting. The colours of the stripes keep changing.

Try following a stripe with your eyes; can you see how the colour just stops and another one takes over? Also the diagonal white lines cutting through the square don't meet in the middle. A bit like the music, they are offbeat.

Who is he and what is he famous for?

Frank Stella was born in Massachusetts in America in 1936 and is best known as a minimalist artist. Minimalist art began in the 1950s with a group of artists who did not make paintings and sculptures about the things they saw in the world, like a house, or a bottle, or a snowy landscape. They made paintings and sculptures about the materials they used, like paint, and wood and metal. Their artworks look like they might have been made in a factory.

When Stella was in his early 20s he began a series of paintings called The Black Paintings. Here is what one of them looked like. The Museum of Modern Art, in New York was so impressed with these paintings that they bought some of them.

After that, Stella became known as a hard-edged painter, because the shapes and stripes in his paintings had straight hard edges. He used acrylic paints, which are very bright and dry quickly, not like oil paint, and he used canvas that had not been treated with a base coat of primer, so they looked raw and unfinished.

Over the years his hard-edge paintings got more and more complicated. He stopped making rectangular paintings and started to use canvases of different shapes, such as ovals and V-shapes. He then stopped hanging them on walls, and instead put them on the floor like sculptures. Here is one of his 3-dimensional paintings made in 1984, it's called Salta nel mio Sacco.

What do you think of Frank Stella's artwork? Is it jazzy enough for you?

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What inspired him? This crazy coloured painting is by Frank Stella and it is called Hyena Stomp. It was painted in 1962 and the title comes from a melody written by the jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton. Yes that is his real name!

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About the Artwork

Pablo Picasso’s 1907 self-portrait marks a pivotal moment in his career, where he began experimenting with cubism, a new and radical way of seeing and creating art. In this self-portrait, Picasso doesn’t aim for realism. Instead, he paints his face using sharp, angular shapes and simplified forms. His eyes, nose, and mouth are distorted, appearing almost mask-like, with flat areas of colour and strong lines. The painting is not about capturing an exact likeness, but rather about representing different aspects of his face from multiple angles at once, a key feature of the cubist movement he would later develop.

Why It’s Important

This self-portrait is significant because it represents the early stages of Picasso’s journey into cubism, a style that would change the course of modern art. At the time, most artists painted portraits to look as lifelike as possible, but Picasso broke these rules, exploring how to show a person in a new, abstract way. This painting was a bold step away from traditional art and set the tone for Picasso’s future works, where he would continue to experiment with form, perspective, and the idea that a single viewpoint wasn’t enough to fully capture a subject. The self-portrait became a symbol of his revolutionary approach to art.

Symbolism and Meaning

In this self-portrait, Picasso’s use of abstract shapes and distorted features can symbolize his belief that art should go beyond mere appearance and explore deeper truths. The angular, mask-like face could represent different facets of his personality, hinting at how identity is complex and multi-layered. By breaking down his face into simple, flat shapes, Picasso challenges the viewer to think about how we see ourselves and others. This cubist style allows for multiple perspectives, reflecting the idea that a person cannot be fully understood by a single view. It suggests that identity, like art, is something to be explored from different angles.

More about Picasso: https://kids.kiddle.co/Pablo_Picasso

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About the Artwork

"Violin and Candlestick" (1910) by Georges Braque is a famous example of cubist painting. In this artwork, Braque used earthy tones like browns, greens, and grays to depict two everyday objects—a violin and a candlestick. However, instead of showing these objects in a realistic way, he broke them down into geometric shapes and fragmented forms, typical of cubism. The violin and candlestick seem to overlap and merge into one another, as Braque painted them from multiple angles at the same time. This gives the painting an abstract, puzzle-like appearance, inviting the viewer to look closely and piece together the objects.

Why It’s Important

"Violin and Candlestick" is important because it shows Braque’s development of cubism alongside Pablo Picasso. Together, they were pioneers in creating a new way of representing the world in art by focusing on breaking objects down into basic shapes and showing multiple perspectives. This painting is one of Braque’s key works during the peak of the cubist movement. It helped move away from traditional styles of painting and laid the foundation for modern art. The revolutionary approach of cubism challenged artists and viewers to see beyond the surface of objects and think about the different ways they can be represented.

Symbolism and Meaning

In "Violin and Candlestick," the choice of everyday objects like a violin and a candlestick symbolizes Braque’s interest in combining art with life. The violin represents music, art, and creativity, while the candlestick could symbolize light or enlightenment. By breaking these objects into abstract shapes, Braque might have been exploring how art can capture the essence of things rather than just their appearance. The fragmented shapes and overlapping forms can also be seen as a metaphor for how people see the world from different viewpoints, suggesting that reality itself is more complex than it appears.

More about Braque: https://kids.kiddle.co/Georges_Braque

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About the Artwork

"The Guitar" (1913) by Juan Gris is a prime example of his refined cubist style, where everyday objects are broken into geometric shapes and reimagined in abstract forms. In this painting, Gris focuses on a guitar, a popular subject in cubist art, and fragments it into angular shapes that overlap and intersect. The muted colours—browns, greys, and creams—give the piece a calm, structured feel. Gris’s careful arrangement of shapes creates a balance between abstraction and the recognizable form of the guitar, making the viewer work to identify the object within the geometric design.

Why It’s Important

"The Guitar" is important because it showcases Juan Gris’s unique approach to cubism, where he added a more orderly and colourful dimension to the movement. While earlier cubists like Picasso and Braque often used darker, earthier tones and rougher forms, Gris brought a level of clarity and structure to his compositions. His work marked a shift toward "synthetic cubism," which focused more on building objects out of shapes and bright colours rather than breaking them apart entirely. This painting helped cement Gris’s reputation as a key figure in cubism, known for his precise and harmonious use of form and colour.

Symbolism and Meaning

In "The Guitar," the guitar itself can symbolize music and creativity, themes that were important to many Cubist artists. By breaking the guitar into abstract shapes, Gris is exploring how art can go beyond realistic representation to capture the essence or spirit of an object. The fragmented forms suggest multiple viewpoints, showing how a single object, like the guitar, can be seen and understood in different ways. Gris’s careful composition of overlapping shapes and lines also symbolizes his interest in structure and harmony, reflecting his belief that art could bring order and beauty to everyday life, even when viewed in an abstract way.

More about Gris: https://kids.kiddle.co/Juan_Gris

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National Galleries Scotland

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TATE Kids

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Clip: Where did Pablo Picasso's Genius Come From?

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Clip: Where did Pablo Picasso's Genius Come From?

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National Geographic

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Where Did Pablo Picasso's Genius Come From? | National Geographic

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Expressionism is an art movement that began in the early 20th century, where artists focused on expressing emotions and inner feelings rather than showing realistic images of the world. Instead of trying to paint things exactly as they looked, Expressionist artists used bold colours, distorted shapes, and exaggerated lines to show intense emotions like fear, anger, or sadness. For example, German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner painted city scenes and people with dramatic, bright colours and sharp lines to capture the fast pace and anxiety of modern life. Expressionism allowed artists to break away from traditional styles and use their art as a way to share their personal feelings and emotional reactions to the world around them.

Expressionism emerged in the early 20th century and is about expressing strong emotions and inner feelings, often through exaggerated, distorted forms and bold, unnatural colours. Expressionist artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner or Egon Schiele still depicted recognizable subjects, such as people or landscapes, but they altered these images to convey intense emotions like fear, anxiety, or loneliness. Expressionism is representational, meaning the subject is distorted but still identifiable.

Abstract Expressionism, which developed later in the 1940s and 1950s, particularly in America, takes the idea of emotion a step further by completely abandoning recognizable subjects. Abstract Expressionist artists, like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, focused more on using colour, shape, and movement to convey their feelings without any clear images or objects. Their works are purely abstract, meaning they do not represent specific people, places, or things. The movement emphasized spontaneous, energetic brushstrokes, or large blocks of color to evoke emotions directly from the forms themselves, rather than through distorted representations of real-world subjects.

Neo-Expressionism emerged in the late 1970s and 1980s as a response to the minimalist and conceptual art movements that dominated the art world. Like Expressionism, it focuses on intense emotions and inner feelings, but it reintroduces recognizable imagery with a raw, often aggressive style. Neo-Expressionist artists used bold, vivid colours and exaggerated forms, but with a more modern, often chaotic, and sometimes controversial approach. They were known for their rough brushwork, thick paint application, and a return to figurative art, but with a more aggressive, rebellious energy. Key Neo-Expressionist artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Julian Schnabel, and Anselm Kiefer often used their work to address political, historical, and social themes, blending personal emotion with broader cultural commentary. Neo-Expressionism differs from traditional Expressionism in that it often incorporates elements of pop culture, graffiti, and postmodern critique, creating works that feel contemporary and sometimes confrontational.

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About the Artwork

"Houses at Night" (1912) by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is a vibrant, colourful painting that captures a street scene in a city at night. The buildings are tall and angular, painted in bold colours like red, green, and yellow, with dark shadows falling across the street. The night sky is deep and dark, making the bright houses stand out even more. The brushstrokes are rough and expressive, typical of Kirchner’s style, and the scene has a slightly dreamlike or mysterious feeling. Although the painting is of a city street, the way Kirchner uses colour and form makes it feel alive and almost magical.

Why It’s Important

"Houses at Night" is important because it shows how Kirchner, as part of the Die Brücke (The Bridge) movement, used bold colours and expressive forms to bring emotion and energy to everyday scenes. Instead of painting the city in a realistic way, Kirchner distorted the buildings and used dramatic lighting to create a unique atmosphere. This painting is a great example of how Expressionist artists wanted to convey not just what things looked like, but also how they felt. The use of colour and shadow in this work helps create a sense of mystery, showing how art can evoke emotions without using traditional techniques.

Symbolism and Meaning

In "Houses at Night," the bright, bold buildings against the dark night sky could symbolize the contrast between the lively, bustling energy of the city and the quiet, shadowy world of night. Kirchner may have been trying to show how even something as simple as a row of houses can feel different depending on the time of day and the mood of the setting. The exaggerated shapes and intense colours also reflect Kirchner’s interest in exploring the emotional side of urban life. The painting encourages viewers, especially children, to think about how colours, shapes, and light can change the way we see and feel about familiar places.

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About the Artwork

Egon Schiele’s "Self-Portrait with a Lantern" (1912) is a striking and emotionally intense work that showcases Schiele's unique expressionist style. In this painting, Schiele portrays himself holding a lantern, with his body twisted and exaggerated in a dramatic pose. The angular lines and sharp contours of his figure, along with his intense gaze, make the painting feel almost confrontational. The background is minimal, focusing attention entirely on the artist and the lantern, which casts a soft glow. Schiele’s use of dark, muted colours and eerie lighting create a haunting atmosphere, making this self-portrait a powerful expression of his inner emotional state.

Why It’s Important

"Self-Portrait with a Lantern" is important because it reflects Egon Schiele’s exploration of human emotions, identity, and psychological depth. Schiele was known for his unflinching portrayals of himself and others, often using distorted forms and unsettling poses to convey feelings of isolation, anxiety, or introspection. This painting is an excellent example of how Schiele pushed the boundaries of traditional portraiture, focusing less on realistic depiction and more on expressing the emotional complexity of the human experience. The use of the lantern adds an element of symbolism, representing light in darkness, both literally and metaphorically, which ties into Schiele’s exploration of his inner self.

Symbolism and Meaning

In "Self-Portrait with a Lantern," the lantern serves as a powerful symbol. It could represent the search for truth or self-awareness, as Schiele holds it close to his body as if lighting his own path. The dramatic, twisted pose and the intense expression on his face suggest a sense of struggle or conflict, possibly reflecting Schiele’s inner turmoil. The lantern’s light may symbolize hope or guidance, contrasting with the darker, more shadowy elements of the painting. Schiele’s use of distorted form and haunting imagery in this self-portrait invites viewers to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper emotional and psychological meanings behind the image.

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Dynanism of Dog on a Leash - Balla, 1912

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Futurism is an art movement that began in Italy in the early 20th century, around 1909 and focused on capturing the energy, speed, and dynamism of modern life. Futurist artists were fascinated by the rapid changes brought by technology, such as cars, aeroplanes, and industrial machinery, and they sought to express movement and progress in their work. They often used bold colours, abstract forms, and overlapping shapes to give the impression of things in motion. Futurism celebrated innovation, youth, and the power of the modern world, rejecting the past and traditional ways of thinking. Artists like Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla were key figures in the movement, creating works that emphasised motion, light, and the mechanical power of the new century.

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What is Futurism? The Art Movement Explained

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About the Artwork

"Number 1, Lavender Mist" (1950) by Jackson Pollock is a monumental abstract expressionist painting known for its energetic and chaotic web of drips, splashes, and swirls of paint. Pollock used his famous “drip technique” to create this work, laying the canvas on the ground and moving around it, applying layers of paint from all angles. Despite its title, the colours in the painting are mostly blacks, whites, greys, and soft pinks, with only hints of lavender. The painting has no clear subject, but the layers of paint and the dynamic movement of the brushstrokes create a sense of rhythm and emotion, making the viewer feel as though they are looking at raw energy captured on canvas.

Why It’s Important

"Number 1, Lavender Mist" is one of Pollock’s most famous works and is an important piece in the Abstract Expressionism movement, which focused on expressing emotion through non-representational art. Pollock’s drip technique was revolutionary, as it broke away from traditional methods of painting with careful, deliberate strokes. Instead, Pollock embraced spontaneity, movement, and chance. This painting highlights Pollock’s belief that art should come from the subconscious, with the process of painting itself being just as important as the finished work. The painting’s sheer scale and complexity make it a powerful representation of the freedom and intensity of Abstract Expressionism, and it had a major influence on the direction of modern art.

Symbolism and Meaning

While "Number 1, Lavender Mist" is an abstract work with no specific subject matter, it can be interpreted as a reflection of Pollock’s inner emotional landscape. The swirling, overlapping lines and layers of paint may symbolize chaos, energy, or the complexity of human experience. The lack of a clear focal point forces viewers to immerse themselves in the entire canvas, letting their eyes wander through the maze of paint, which can evoke different feelings and interpretations for each person. The title, "Lavender Mist," suggests a delicate, soft atmosphere, but the painting’s explosive composition contrasts with that idea, perhaps symbolizing the tension between calm and chaos. Pollock’s work invites viewers to connect with the raw emotion behind the abstract forms, encouraging a personal emotional response.

More about Pollock: https://kids.kiddle.co/Jackson_Pollock

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About the Artwork

"The Crossing" (1950) by Norman Lewis is a striking example of abstract expressionism with a unique focus on social themes. Unlike many of his contemporaries who prioritized pure abstraction, Lewis often incorporated deeper meanings into his work. In "The Crossing," he uses a muted palette of blacks, whites, and greys to create a dynamic composition. The painting is filled with swirling, ghostly figures that appear to be moving across the canvas, suggesting a sense of motion and transition. These abstract shapes are layered and intertwined, creating a mysterious and somewhat sombre atmosphere, which reflects Lewis’s ability to blend abstraction with elements of storytelling.

Why It’s Important

"The Crossing" is important because it showcases Norman Lewis’s unique voice within the Abstract Expressionist movement. As one of the few African American artists associated with this movement, Lewis brought his personal experiences and observations of social issues into his abstract work. "The Crossing" reflects themes of change, migration, and the struggles of marginalized communities, which set him apart from other abstract expressionists who often avoided political or social content. Lewis’s ability to combine abstract techniques with subtle narrative elements made his work stand out, offering a perspective that brought together art and social consciousness.

Symbolism and Meaning

In "The Crossing," the swirling, shadowy figures can be interpreted as representing a journey or transition, possibly reflecting the migration of African Americans during the Great Migration, or the broader theme of crossing boundaries, both physical and metaphorical. The dark, ghostly shapes may symbolize the struggles, hardships, and hopes of people in motion, moving toward a new future. The use of black, white, and grey tones suggests a stark, sombre mood, evoking feelings of uncertainty or reflection. By blending abstraction with these subtle social and emotional undertones, Lewis invites viewers to think not only about the forms on the canvas but also about the deeper human experiences they may represent.

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About the Artwork

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s "Grillo" (1984) is a dynamic, colourful painting that showcases his signature style of combining raw, expressive imagery with bold text and abstract symbols. In this piece, Basquiat features a central figure that resembles a cat-like creature, rendered with energetic brushstrokes and surrounded by scribbles, lines, and fragmented text. The painting bursts with bright colours—yellows, reds, and blues—juxtaposed against darker, more muted tones, creating a sense of contrast and chaos. Basquiat’s use of graffiti-like markings and a mix of abstract forms gives the painting an edgy, street-art feel, while the central figure serves as a focal point, drawing viewers into its intense, almost primal energy.

Why It’s Important

"Grillo" is an important work because it highlights Basquiat’s unique approach to blending high art with elements of street culture. As a former graffiti artist, Basquiat brought the raw, unfiltered energy of the streets into the fine art world, and "Grillo" exemplifies this fusion. The painting reflects Basquiat’s trademark use of symbols, words, and chaotic composition to explore themes such as identity, power, and culture. Basquiat’s rise to fame in the 1980s, despite coming from an outsider background, challenged traditional ideas of what art could be and who could be an artist. "Grillo" represents his refusal to conform to artistic norms, making it a key piece in his body of work and in the broader context of neo-expressionism.

Symbolism and Meaning

In "Grillo," the central cat-like figure may symbolize power, independence, or even danger, reflecting Basquiat’s frequent exploration of themes related to strength and survival. The surrounding text and symbols, which are often fragmented and difficult to interpret, create a sense of mystery and invite viewers to question their meanings. Basquiat was known for incorporating references to African American culture, history, and his own experiences, and the chaotic energy of "Grillo" can be seen as a reflection of the complexity of navigating identity and power in the modern world. The painting’s blend of abstract forms, vibrant colours, and symbolic elements makes it a layered work that invites multiple interpretations, encouraging viewers to engage with both its visual intensity and its deeper social and cultural messages.

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The chaotic brilliance of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat - Jordana Moore Saggese

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Art That Changed America - Abstract Expressionism

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By showing people that art can be used to express what we feel, rather than what we see, Abstract Expressionism changed how we define what…

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Popular artwork: Star Dancer (1991)

Marcel Mariën was a Belgian artist and writer born in 1920. He was known for his creative imagination and being part of a group of artists called the Surrealists. Surrealism is a kind of art that looks like a dream—it mixes things that don’t usually go together in surprising and interesting ways.

Marcel Mariën liked to play with ideas, making people think differently about the world around them. He created unusual art, like taking everyday objects and changing them into something funny or strange. For example, he once made a spoon with a tiny shovel attached to it, called The Key to the Fields—this made people laugh and think at the same time!

He also made short films and wrote poems and stories that were just as imaginative as his art. He wanted people to explore their imagination and see the world in a new way.

About the ART

"Star Dancer" is a famous artwork created by the Belgian artist Marcel Mariën in 1940. It’s a playful and imaginative piece that fits perfectly into a type of art called

Surrealism. Surrealism is all about mixing things from dreams or fantasy with real-life objects in ways that surprise or puzzle you.

In "Star Dancer," Mariën combined a regular object—a hair comb—and added a few extra details to make it look like a star-shaped creature dancing. Even though it's made from something simple, the way he put it together makes you imagine it's doing something magical, like dancing in the sky!

The link to Surrealism comes from how Mariën used an everyday item in a way that makes us think of something unreal, like a dream. Surrealism is all about using our imagination to see the world differently, and "Star Dancer" does just that. It shows us that even ordinary things, like a comb, can become something magical with a little creativity!