Georges Braque

(French, 1882 - 1963)

“Truth exists, only falsehood has to be invented.”
— Georges Braque

Georges Braque, the infamous artist and co-creator of Cubism, was born in 1882 in Argenteuil, Val-d’Oise and raised in Le Havre. There he trained to follow his father and grandfather’s footsteps to become a house painter and decorator. From 1897 to 1899 he practiced serious painting at the École des Beaux-Arts in the evenings. He relocated to Paris, where he earned a decorator certificate in 1902, and became acquainted with Marie Laurencin and Francis Picabia at the Académie Humbert.

Early in his career, Braque painted mostly with an impressionistic style. However, an artistic group named the Fauves caught his eye, and he turned to Fauvism in 1905. Fauvism utilizes bright colors with loose form to evoke strong emotion. As early as 1907, Braque exhibited his first Fauvist works at the Salon des Indépendants. During the same year, artist Paul Cézanne greatly influenced him. Cézanne’s work would become a component of the inspiration for the Cubism movement.

Beginning in 1909 Braque worked closely with Pablo Picasso, so much so that Braque described the relationship “like being roped together on a mountain.” Their work even became indistinguishable at one point in time. Cubism was founded upon Braque’s vision of contemplation and Picasso’s celebration of animation. They collaborated with collage and Braque invented a style called papier collé. Cubism spread like wildfire through Paris and Europe. The two founders were side by side until 1914 when Braque enlisted with the French Army to fight in World War I. It was the last time the duo would work together. Braque returned to his life as a painter in late 1916 after suffering a severe head injury during battle, which had caused temporary loss of eyesight. Braque produced many of his illustrations and lithographs at the Mourlot Studios, the largest and most famous print shop of the 20th century, and also introduced Picasso to Fernand Mourlot. Towards the end of his career, retrospective exhibitions honored Braque worldwide. He continued to work for the duration of his life creating sculptures, graphic work, and paintings, and passed at age 81 from a stroke as he was looking at his garden from his studio window. His work remains in major museums globally, and will inspire for generations to come.

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