The guitar 1914

Juan Gris made this cubist guitar with oil on canvas. What a mind-bending puzzle! I imagine Gris turning the guitar this way and that, his mind alight with how to break it apart, then reassemble the familiar form. Look at how he renders the wallpaper. It’s not about imitation. It’s about creating a surface that shimmers and vibrates with visual information. What was he thinking as he carefully considered the patterns and textures? Did he find joy in the challenge of representing the three-dimensional world on a flat plane? The brown hues feel so warm and comforting, like a well-loved song. It reminds me of Picasso’s cubist work, but with a quiet, personal touch. The painting offers endless possibilities for interpretation, as each viewer brings their own perspective to the composition.