“Apartment Houses, Paris,” created by artist Jean Dubuffet in 1946, is a cityscape that exemplifies the Art Brut movement. Crafted using a unique combination of materials such as charcoal, oil, canvas, and sand, the artwork presents an intriguing aesthetic that diverges from more conventional artistic norms of its time.
The artwork depicts a dense array of Parisian apartment buildings, detailed in a manner that borders on the abstract. The facades of the structures are heavily textured, a result of the incorporation of sand into the medium that adds a tactile dimension to the scene. The oil and charcoal enhance the gritty realism, depicting the dark outlines and shadows that give the buildings an almost claustrophobic feel.
In the artwork, each window reveals a snapshot of life within, featuring figures that appear both distorted and animated, characteristics typical of Dubuffet’s approach to human forms. There is a raw simplicity to these depictions; the figures are rendered in a stark, almost child-like manner. This is reflective of the Art Brut philosophy, which valued the unrefined, visceral expression over the polished finish of academic art.
At street level, the artwork includes the representation of various storefronts, with legible signage that anchors the scene in a recognizable urban context. The people depicted on the street share the same stylistic treatment as those in the windows, reinforcing the sense that this is a unified, if idiosyncratic, world.
In summary, “Apartment Houses, Paris” is a compelling representation of an urban landscape, capturing the bustling energy and individuality of city life through Dubuffet’s unconventional and pioneering artistic lens.