Braque,
Georges , 1882–1963,
French painter. He
joined the artists
involved in developing
fauvism in 1905, and at
l'Estaque c. 1909 he was
profoundly influenced by
Cézanne. He met Picasso,
and the two
simultaneously explored
form and structure with
results that led to the
development of cubism.
In works such as the
monumental Nude (1907–8;
Cuttoli Coll., Paris)
Braque exemplified the
analytical phase of the
movement with his keen
sense of structure and
orderly method of
decomposing an object.
In 1911 he introduced
typographical letters
into his canvases and
soon began working in
collage.
After World War I, in
which he was badly
wounded, Braque veered
away from the angularity
of early cubism and
developed a more
graceful, curvilinear
style, predominantly
painting still life. His
works showed restraint
and subtlety both in
design and color (e.g.,
The Table, Pulitzer
Coll., St. Louis).
Braque is represented in
leading galleries in
Europe and the United
States.
