What became known as Modern art began towards the end of the 19th century with artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose works moved ever further from realism and closer towards abstraction, paving the way for the 20th century Modern artists who followed. Modern art began to truly blossom in the early years of the 20th century with artists such as Henri Matisse and André Derain who revolutionised the art world with their brightly coloured 'Fauvist' paintings. Then, in 1907 Pablo Picasso painted his first Cubist picture, Les... Show more

What became known as Modern art began towards the end of the 19th century with artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose works moved ever further from realism and closer towards abstraction, paving the way for the 20th century Modern artists who followed.

Modern art began to truly blossom in the early years of the 20th century with artists such as Henri Matisse and André Derain who revolutionised the art world with their brightly coloured 'Fauvist' paintings. Then, in 1907 Pablo Picasso painted his first Cubist picture, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Soon after came the Surrealist style which developed between the two World Wars, with artists like Paul Klee, Max Ernst and Salvador Dali.

After World War II the focal point of Modern Art switched from Europe to the USA and new styles such as Pop art, Minimal Art and Abstract Expressionism grew up in the 1950s and 60s. Modern Art is said to have ended in the 1970s but the visual arts have continued to develop and more recent artists are referred to as either Post Modern or Contemporary.

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Art Periods and Movements: Modern

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10 Questions

1. This 1927 sculpture by French artist Gaston Lachaise is based on one which was originally seated on a sofa. The piece was broken and Lachaise adapted it so that the figure was raised into the air. What is the title of this modified statue?

Flying FigureRaised WomanFloating figure

2. This portrait is of Vincent van Gogh, one of the first artists to be considered as being Modern. It was created by another early Modern artist. What was his name?

Henri de Toulouse-LautrecFrancisco GoyaPaul CézanneEdgar Degas

3. What is the name of this piece by the Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, possibly his most famous work?

DarknessWhite BorderBlack SquareEmptiness

4. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is probably the most famous work by Post-Impressionist Georges-Pierre Seurat. What is the name of the technique he used in this work, in which small, distinct dots of paint are applied in patterns to create an image?

DotismPixelismPointillismSpotism

5. Franz Marc was a German artist who often painted colourful pictures of animals. The outbreak of war in 1914 had changed his outlook and he painted this piece in 1915. What is its name?

Death of the AnimalsKingdom of the AnimalsFate of the AnimalsSlaughter of the Animals

6. This sculpture Sylvette can be seen in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It was built in 1970 and is the largest sculpture by which Modern artist who is more famous for his paintings?

Pablo PicassoSalvador DaliDavid HockneyAndy Warhol

7. What is the name of this 1982 sculpture by the British artist Henry Moore?

Large Upright Internal/External FormEmbraceIn the WombVertical, Interior/Exterior Figure

8. Spirit of the Dead Watching is an 1892 painting by Paul Gauguin of a nude Tahitian girl being watched by a ghost. Who was the girl in the painting?

She was Gaugin's servantShe was Gaugin's slaveShe was Gaugin's wifeShe was Gaugin's daughter

9. This painting of 1913 is by the Austrian painter Egon Schiele. It is a representation of which other Modern Artist who was idolised by Schiele?

Paul KleeVincent van GoghGustav KlimtAuguste Rodin

10. The background of this Paul Signac Portrait of Félix Fénéon is almost psychedelic and bears a similarity to 1960s works such as Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze or The Beatles' Yellow Submarine, but in what year was it painted?

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