Violin and Guitar 1913

Juan Gris made this painting called, "Violin and Guitar" with oil on canvas, and there’s a real push-pull happening between the flatness of the picture plane and the illusion of depth. The colors here are so earthy and warm, like a well-loved instrument. You can see how Gris applied the paint in thin layers, almost like glazing. It gives the colors a luminosity, like they’re glowing from within. Look at the scroll of the violin, how it’s rendered with these dynamic curves. It’s not just a representation of a violin; it’s a symbol of music itself, floating in space. Gris is playing with our perception, asking us to see the world in a new way. I am reminded of Cezanne, who broke down objects into their essential forms and rebuilt them on the canvas. Gris takes that idea even further, fragmenting the image and reassembling it in a way that's both abstract and recognizable. It’s like he’s saying that art isn’t about replicating reality, but about creating a new one.