Cubism vs. Futurism — What's the Difference?

A style where artists depicted subjects from multiple angles in the same painting.

Art movement emphasizing movement and the visual effects of time passing.

A movement that challenged traditional perspectives in painting and sculpture.

A cultural movement that sought to capture the sensation of speed and force.

An early 20th-century art movement breaking down objects into geometric shapes.

An artistic movement celebrating dynamic energy and the machine age.

Art characterized by monochromatic colors and complex, abstract imagery.

A rejection of the past, focusing on the innovations of the future.

A revolutionary approach in visual art that influenced painting, literature, and architecture.

Futurism (Italian: Futurismo) was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century which later also developed in Russia. It emphasized dynamism, speed, technology, youth, violence, and objects such as the car, the airplane, and the industrial city.

Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture. In Cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form—instead of depicting objects from a single viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context.

A belief that the meaning of life and one's personal fulfillment lie in the future and not in the present or past.

A nonobjective school of painting and sculpture developed in Paris in the early 20th century, characterized by the reduction and fragmentation of natural forms into abstract, often geometric structures usually rendered as a set of discrete planes.

An artistic movement originating in Italy around 1910 whose aim was to express the energetic, dynamic, and violent quality of contemporary life, especially as embodied in the motion and force of modern machinery.

An artistic movement in the early 20th Century characterized by the depiction of natural forms as geometric structures of planes.

(Christianity) A belief that biblical prophecies, especially those contained in the book of Revelation, will be literally fulfilled at some point in the future.

A movement or phase in post-impressionism (which see, below).

(art) An early 20th century avant-garde art movement focused on speed, the mechanical, and the modern, which took a deeply antagonistic attitude to traditional artistic conventions.

An artistic movement in France beginning in 1907 that featured surfaces of geometrical planes

The study and prediction of possible futures.

(Judaism) The Jewish expectation of the messiah in the future rather than recognizing him in the presence of Christ.

(Christianity) Eschatological interpretations associating some Biblical prophecies with future events yet to be fulfilled, including the Second Coming.

A movement or phase of post-impressionism (which see, below).

A point of view that finds meaning or fulfillment in the future rather than in the past or present. The philosophy of a futurist.

An artistic movement in Italy around 1910 that tried to express the energy and values of the machine age

The position that the meaning of life should be sought in the future

A style focused on themes of speed, technology, and industrial cities.

Futurism is an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century, emphasizing speed, technology, youth, violence, and objects such as the car, the airplane, and the industrial city.

Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are considered the pioneers of Cubism.

Key characteristics of Cubism include abstracted and geometric shapes, multiple perspectives, and the collapsing of three-dimensional space onto a two-dimensional plane.

Analytic Cubism (1907-1912) and Synthetic Cubism (1912 onwards).

Futurism was founded by Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, who wrote the "Futurist Manifesto" in 1909.

While primarily associated with visual arts, Cubism also influenced literature and music, with creators experimenting with fragmented forms and perspectives.

Cubism is an art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture in the early 20th century, characterized by fragmented subject matter deconstructed in geometric forms.

Yes, Futurism had strong political aspects, with many futurists aligning with radical and nationalist politics, including fascism.

In Futurism, motion is depicted as dynamic and forceful, often using lines and color to create rhythm and speed.

Yes, Futurism significantly impacted graphic design, introducing bold typographic innovations and layouts that expressed movement and dynamism.

Futurism influenced art and culture by advocating modernity and seeking to capture the dynamic energy of the 20th century, influencing areas such as fashion, architecture, literature, and even music.

Cubism had a profound influence on later movements such as abstract art, Dadaism, and Surrealism.

Cubism is considered a precursor to abstract art, though it still often retains ties to the real world through the use of fragmented objects.

Elements of Futurism can still be seen today, particularly in the focus on technology, speed, and youth culture in contemporary art and society.

World War I disrupted both movements; while Cubism declined as artists were drawn to more realist and somber themes, Futurism was invigorated by the war's technology and violence, consistent with its themes of energy and change.