The Typographic Element in Cubism, 1911-1915

Abstract

Between 1911 and 1915 Braque and Picasso experimented with formal considerations of the typographic element. The two-dimensional quality of alphabetical and numerical symbols complemented the artists’ attempt to find a new means for depicting three-dimensional objects within the format of the canvas. The typographic element assisted in the evolution of collage by encouraging the replacement of painted symbols with actual objects pasted to the canvas. The idea of a letter-word-number form as a sign representing a concept to which the sign bears no physical resemblance also provided semantic implications that these artists explored. In working with the typographic element, the cubists acknowledged a common interest shared with contemporaries in literature and science.