


Albert Gleizes
Before most critics had agreed on what Cubism actually was, Albert Gleizes had already written the book. *Du Cubisme* (1912[1]), co-authored with Jean Metzinger, was the first theoretical treatise on the movement: it appeared the same year Gleizes exhibited *Harvest Threshing* and *Les Baigneuses* at the Section d'Or[1], and preceded most major theoretical statements by years.

Biography
Gleizes came to painting by an unusual route. The son of a Paris fabric designer and nephew of the portrait painter Leon Comerre, he served four years in the French[1] army before returning to art around 1901[1], working initially in the Impressionist tradition. By 1910 he was among the painters, including Metzinger, Leger, and Delaunay, who met at Puteaux to theorise a Cubism distinct from Picasso and Braque's studio practice. His *Man in a Hammock* (1913) and *Brooklyn Bridge* (1915), painted during a visit to New York, showed how he applied Cubist fragmentation to urban subjects.
Later in his career he moved toward religious abstraction, particularly after converting to Catholicism in 1941[1]. He co-founded Abstraction-Creation in 1931 and continued writing: *La Peinture et ses lois* (1923) and *Vers une conscience plastique* (1932) extended his theoretical concerns well beyond the 1912 treatise. He died in Saint-Remy-de-Provence in June 1953[1].
Timeline
- 1881Born in Málaga, Spain
- 1901Returned to art, working in the Impressionist tradition.
- 1910Met with Metzinger, Leger, and Delaunay to theorize Cubism.
- 1912Co-authored *Du Cubisme* with Jean Metzinger.
- 1912Exhibited *Harvest Threshing* and *Les Baigneuses* at Section d'Or.
- 1915Painted *Brooklyn Bridge* during visit to New York.
- 1923Wrote *La Peinture et ses lois*.
- 1931Co-founded Abstraction-Creation.
- 1932Wrote *Vers une conscience plastique*.
- 1941Converted to Catholicism.
- 1953Died in Saint-Remy-de-Provence.
Notable Works
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What is Albert Gleizes known for?
Albert Gleizes is known for co-authoring *Du Cubisme* (1912[1]) with Jean Metzinger, the first theoretical treatise on Cubism. He applied Cubist fragmentation to urban subjects in paintings such as *Man in a Hammock* (1913) and *Brooklyn Bridge* (1915).What is Albert Gleizes's most famous work?
Although Albert Gleizes produced a large number of paintings, drawings, and prints, he is best known for his theoretical writing on Cubism. In 1912[1], Gleizes, in collaboration with Jean Metzinger, published *Du Cubisme*. This work established him as a leading theorist of the Cubist movement. Gleizes was born in Paris in 1881[1]. He began to paint seriously while in the army between 1901 and 1905. Early works included *View of Paris Toward Montmartre* (1901), *The Market at Abbeville* (1903), and *Picardy* (1904). He exhibited for the first time at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris, in 1902. With friends, Gleizes founded the Abbaye de Créteil outside Paris in 1906; this Utopian community closed in 1908 due to financial difficulties. Gleizes served again in the military in 1914. His paintings became abstract by 1915. He travelled to New York, Barcelona, and Bermuda during the next four years; these travels influenced his style. Gleizes died in Avignon in 1953[1].What should I know about Albert Gleizes's prints?
Albert Gleizes, born in Paris in 1881[1], began painting seriously while in military service from 1901[1] to 1905. Before this, he worked in his father's fabric design studio. He exhibited paintings at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1902, and at the Salon d’Automne in 1903 and 1904. Gleizes co-authored *Du Cubisme* with Jean Metzinger in 1912 and helped found the Section d’Or. Military service interrupted his art again in 1914. By 1915, his paintings became more abstract. Travels to New York, Barcelona, and Bermuda influenced his style. His first solo exhibition occurred in Barcelona in 1916. Prints by Gleizes include etchings for Pascal's *Pensées*, exhibited in Avignon in 1950, then in Lyon. The catalogue included a preface by René Jullian. A gouache on board, *Composition (For "Jazz")*, dated 1915, is in the Guggenheim collection. Although technically a watercolour, its scale relates it to Gleizes's New York oils. Gleizes died in Avignon in 1953[1].What style or movement did Albert Gleizes belong to?
Albert Gleizes, born in Paris in 1881[1], is associated with Cubism. Early on, he worked in his father's fabric design studio and began painting seriously while in the army from 1901[1] to 1905. Around 1909-1910[1], Gleizes met artists such as Henri Le Fauconnier, Fernand Léger, Robert Delaunay, and Jean Metzinger. Gleizes and Metzinger collaborated on *Du Cubisme*, a book published in 1912 that became a theoretical foundation for Cubism. That same year, Gleizes helped found the Section d'Or[1]. His paintings became abstract around 1915. Unlike some Cubists, Gleizes did not focus on analysing visual reality through neutral objects. Instead, he preferred subjects with social and cultural meaning. Gleizes aimed to synthesise the real world through individual consciousness, studying volumes to convey solidity and structure. After military service, and travels to New York, Barcelona and Bermuda, Gleizes became involved with spiritual values, which influenced his work. He participated in the Abstraction-Creation group in the 1930s. Albert Gleizes died in Avignon in 1953[1].What techniques or materials did Albert Gleizes use?
Albert Gleizes's early work was influenced by Impressionism and Post-Impressionism; however, he soon moved toward Cubism. He co-authored "Du Cubisme" (1912[1]) with Jean Metzinger, which analysed the new style. Gleizes explored the possibilities of representing movement and multiple viewpoints on a single canvas. He employed geometric forms, fragmented objects, and a restricted colour palette, often favouring browns, greys, and ochres. His paintings from this period, such as "Man on a Balcony" (1912), demonstrate these techniques. After the First World War, Gleizes moved away from strict Cubism and developed a style he termed "translation". This involved using geometric forms to represent the underlying structure of reality; he sought a more spiritual dimension in his art. He also experimented with different media, including watercolour and collage. In the 1920s, he became interested in religious art and produced designs for stained glass windows and murals. His later work often incorporated symbolic imagery and a more decorative style.What was Albert Gleizes known for?
Albert Gleizes (1881[1]-1953[1]) was a French[1] artist, theorist and writer. After working in his father's fabric design studio, he began painting seriously during military service from 1901[1] to 1905. He exhibited early works at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1902, and at the Salon d'Automne in 1903 and 1904. In 1906, Gleizes co-founded the Abbaye de Créteil, a Utopian community of artists and writers who aimed to create non-allegorical art based on modern themes; it closed in 1908 due to financial problems. By 1915, his paintings had become abstract. Travels to New York, Barcelona and Bermuda influenced his style. His first solo show was at the Galeries Dalmau, Barcelona, in 1916. Gleizes is known as an early theorist of Cubism. With Jean Metzinger, he co-authored *Du Cubisme*, published in 1912. The same year, he helped found the Section d'Or[1]. After service in World War I, he became involved with spiritual values, which influenced his art and writing. In 1927, he founded Moly-Sabata, another Utopian community for artists and craftsmen. Later, he participated in the Abstraction-Création group and completed large commissions, including murals for the Paris World's Fair in 1937.When did Albert Gleizes live and work?
Albert Gleizes was born in Paris on 8 December 1881[1]. After completing secondary school, he worked in his father's fabric design studio. From 1901[1] to 1905, while in military service, Gleizes began to paint seriously. He exhibited at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris, in 1902, and participated in the Salon d'Automne in 1903 and 1904. With friends, including writer René Arcos, Gleizes founded the Abbaye de Créteil outside Paris in 1906; this Utopian community closed in 1908 due to financial difficulties. Gleizes met Henri Le Fauconnier, Léger, Robert Delaunay and Jean Metzinger in 1909 and 1910. With Metzinger, Gleizes wrote *Du Cubisme*, published in 1912; that year, he helped found the Section d'Or[1]. After further military service in 1914, his paintings became abstract around 1915. Travels to New York, Barcelona and Bermuda influenced his style. Gleizes's first solo show was at the Galeries Dalmau, Barcelona, in 1916. He died in Avignon on 23 June 1953[1].Where can I see Albert Gleizes's work?
Albert Gleizes (1881[1]-1953[1]) was a French[1] artist, theorist, and writer. He exhibited at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1902[1], and at the Salon d'Automne in 1903 and 1904. Numerous institutions have held Gleizes exhibitions. His first one-man show was at the Galeries Dalmau, Barcelona, in 1916. A major retrospective took place in Lyon, at the Chapelle du Lycée Ampère, in 1947. Gleizes's work has appeared in group shows such as the Salon des Indépendants, Paris; the Jack of Diamonds, Moscow; and the Société Normande de Peinture Moderne, Rouen. His paintings are held in the permanent collections of museums such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, which possesses his 1914-15 *Portrait of an Army Doctor*. The Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyon holds his 1913 *Portrait of the Publisher Figuiere*. The Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Vienna, holds his 1912 *Passy (Bridges of Paris)*.Where was Albert Gleizes from?
Albert Gleizes was born in Paris in 1881[1]. His father was a fabric designer, and his mother was from a family of jewellers. Gleizes began painting in the early 20th century, initially favouring Impressionism before moving toward a more individual style. He spent much of his career in France. During the First World War, he was mobilised in 1914[1] but was discharged due to illness. He then travelled; he lived in Barcelona for a time, later moving to New York. After the war, Gleizes returned to France. In the 1920s, he became interested in religious themes, which influenced his artistic output. He lived in several locations, including a community of artists in Sablons. He died in Avignon in 1953[1]. While he travelled and lived abroad for periods, France remained his home and the centre of his artistic activity.Who did Albert Gleizes influence?
Albert Gleizes, active in the early Cubist movement, co-authored *Du Cubisme* in 1912[1] with Jean Metzinger; this publication established him as a leading theorist. His influence is complex, as he occupied a somewhat unusual position relative to other modernists. Gleizes sought to establish weight, density, and volumetric relationships in his subjects, which set him apart from Picasso and Braque. Gleizes felt they were too focused on dissected subjects. He also differed from artists like Mondrian, in that he never adopted Neo-Plasticism, nor did he participate in Surrealism. Despite not aligning with the directions taken by some of his contemporaries, his theories were close to those developed by Mondrian. Gleizes' continued adherence to Cubism meant some considered him an anachronism. However, he was later appreciated by a small group of Catholic intellectuals. Some scholars suggest his work may have influenced Umberto Boccioni.Who influenced Albert Gleizes?
Albert Gleizes's artistic development was shaped by several influences. Early on, he was exposed to drawing through his father's work in textile design. He also had an uncle, Léon Comerre, who won the Prix de Rome in 1875. Gleizes's initial paintings showed an Impressionistic style, particularly influenced by artists like Pissarro and Sisley. However, his admiration for Cézanne and his dedication to drawing techniques soon guided his artistic direction. In 1909[1], Henri Le Fauconnier's portrait of Pierre Jean Jouve had a decisive impact on Gleizes. This painting, along with the emerging Cubist movement (especially Picasso's *Demoiselles d'Avignon*), became important sources for his work. Before fully embracing painting, Gleizes, along with his friend René Arcos, was drawn to symbolist poetry, the politics of democratic socialism, and the writings of Whitman, Verhaeran, and Ernest Renan. He was also interested in the philosophy of Compte, the sociology of Durkheim, the music of Wagner, the painting of Pissarro, and the historical writings of Taine and Michelet.Who was Albert Gleizes?
Albert Gleizes (1881[1]-1953[1]) was a French[1] artist, theorist, and writer. He was born in Paris and initially worked in his father's textile design studio. From 1901[1] to 1905, while in military service, he began painting. Gleizes exhibited his paintings at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1902, and at the Salon d'Automne in 1903 and 1904. In 1906, Gleizes, along with René Arcos and others, established the Abbaye de Créteil, a Utopian community for artists and writers. After meeting Henri Le Fauconnier, Léger, Robert Delaunay, and Jean Metzinger between 1909 and 1910, he exhibited in Paris and Moscow. With Metzinger, Gleizes co-authored *Du Cubisme*, published in 1912, and helped to found the Section d'Or[1]. After serving in the military again in 1914, Gleizes's paintings became abstract around 1915. He travelled to New York, Barcelona, and Bermuda, which influenced his style. Gleizes had his first solo exhibition in Barcelona in 1916. From 1949 to 1950, he worked on illustrations for Pascal's *Pensées*. Gleizes died in Avignon.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Albert Gleizes.
- [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Albert Gleizes Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
- [2] book Guillaume Apollinaire, Cubism Used for: biography.
- [3] book guggenheim-guhe00solo Used for: biography.
- [4] book guggenheim-handboo00pegg Used for: biography.
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