| Picasso's Rose Period was followed by an even | | | | Picasso's most remarkable achievement from this |
| more radical departure in style. From 1907 to | | | | period, the painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, |
| 1909 Picasso's art was influenced by his interest in | | | | came at the beginning of 1907 and is arguably the |
| so-called "primitive" arts, especially African Masks. | | | | most influential painting of the twentieth century. |
| This period, consequently, became known as the | | | | Following this work, Picasso began painting in a |
| African Period. His paintings, typified by simplified, | | | | style influenced by the two figures on the right |
| angular forms, were rendered in a muted palette | | | | side of the painting, the figures themselves |
| of reds and browns. | | | | inspired by African masks, with their striped |
| Around this time, the French empire was | | | | patterns and oval forms. |
| expanding into Africa, and African artifacts were | | | | In 1907 the painting was considered extremely |
| being brought back to Paris museums, exposing | | | | daring. The influence of African art led to |
| Picasso to a truly unique form of art. It explored | | | | distortions and visual incongruities. For example, at |
| emotional and psychological areas not seen in | | | | the bottom right of the picture, the figure's head |
| western art, which was regarded by the avant | | | | is turned in a way which is anatomically impossible. |
| garde as subservient to the world of | | | | Surprisingly, even Picasso's fellow painters, |
| appearances. For them, the faculty of imagination, | | | | stalwarts of the avant garde, reacted negatively |
| emotion and mystical experience was more | | | | to Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Henri Matisse is |
| important than that of mere sight. In African art, | | | | alleged to have told Picasso that he was trying to |
| which possessed remarkable expressive power, | | | | ridicule the modern movement. |
| they saw a response to those higher faculties. | | | | |