To the foregoing two divisions are added two more, which are, in reality, but subdivisions or refinements of Cubism Scientifique.
There are really but the two extremes—those who represent objects more or less cubically, i.e., in planes and masses of line and color; and those who compose harmonies of line and color that have no relation to figures or objects.
In the paintings of the one, objects are more or less apparent; in those of the other no object is discernible, because none is represented or suggested.
3. Cubism Orphique is created entirely by the artist; it takes nothing from visual, objective realities, but is derived wholly from the painter’s imagination; it is pure art.
4. Cubism instinctive is described as the painting of compositions of color, not based upon objective realities, but suggested by the instinct and intentions of the artist. The artist who follows his instinct, his fancy of the moment, though he may paint beautiful compositions, lacks the clear comprehension of him who paints according to some well thought out, artistic creed.
It is quite obvious that subdivisions three and four are based upon temperamental rather than logical or scientific distinctions.
To refer to some of the pictures reproduced:
There is no mystery about the “Man on the Balcony.” He is quite in evidence; the background is a little puzzling, yet fairly obvious. The attention of the casual observer is not diverted from the mode and manner of painting—from the Cubism of the picture, so to speak.
It is not a question of “Now I see it, now I don’t see it.” It is obviously the figure of a man leaning on something, apparently a railing, with a confused background. But so far as uncertainty regarding the background and accessories is concerned, that troubles no one, for uncertainty in detail is! characteristic of the backgrounds of many fine and famous portraits.