The Glass 1914

Juan Gris made "The Glass," an oil painting, at an unknown date. Look at the way he builds up these forms, like he’s fitting together pieces of a puzzle. It feels like he’s figuring it out as he goes, which, let's face it, is what making art is all about. The colors here are pretty muted, earthy browns and greens, and he uses a lot of shading to create depth. Check out the wood grain effect on that brown shape; it’s so tactile, you can almost feel the texture. Then you have the way he draws the lines, like he is building up the form slowly, carefully. It's so satisfying. It reminds me a little of Picasso’s cubist still lifes, but Gris brings his own sensibility to it. It's all about how we see, how we break things down and put them back together. Isn't that what art, and life, is all about?