The Open Window 1921

Juan Gris made this painting, “The Open Window,” with oil on canvas. It feels like he was working through a problem. I can see him making intuitive decisions with each brushstroke. The subdued blues and greys are unexpectedly calming. I wonder if Gris felt that same sense of calm as he painted. Imagine him stepping back, squinting, and then adding another stroke. The guitar, the bottle, the sheet music – Gris is stacking these shapes like he’s building a world from geometry. He’s inviting us to see how everyday objects transform when you pull them apart and put them back together. Like when you write a song, or try to tell the truth about how something feels. It’s all shapes and feelings. Painters are always talking to each other across time, and each canvas is a part of that long, unfolding conversation.