Coffee Grinder and Glass 1915

Juan Gris created this painting, titled *Coffee Grinder and Glass*, using oil on canvas. This work reflects the Cubist movement's exploration of form and perspective, which was influenced by rapid industrialization and urbanization. Cubism fractured objects, mirroring how modern life was breaking from the past. Gris, a Spaniard working in Paris, was deeply affected by the political and social upheavals of the early 20th century. We see everyday objects here, a coffee grinder, a glass, and a newspaper, rendered in geometric forms. These items might seem mundane, but consider their cultural weight. Coffee, for example, was becoming a global commodity, deeply intertwined with colonialism and labor exploitation. The newspaper hints at an increasingly literate public, eager for news and political discourse. How does this painting speak to you? Does it feel like a celebration of modern life, or a critical reflection on its complexities? Gris once said, "I work with the elements of the intellect, with imagination. I try to materialize what is in my mind." Ultimately, *Coffee Grinder and Glass* challenges us to consider the intersection of the personal and the political, and to see the beauty and complexity in the everyday.