Lévi-Strauss and modern art: Impressionism and Cubism

Abstract

Taking as a starting point some considerations by Lévi-Strauss on Impressionism and Cubism as attempts to break with characteristics that would distinguish modern Western art from the arts of so-called primitive societies, this article intends to discuss these movements from the perspective opened by the author, testing to what extent the idea that these movements represent ruptures with distinctive elements of modern Western art can effectively contribute to its understanding.