Houses in Paris, Place Ravignan 1911

Juan Gris made this drawing of Houses in Paris, Place Ravignan, using pencil or charcoal to build up tone and form. There’s a real sense of geometry, or rather a breaking down of forms into geometric shapes. It’s like the world is constructed from flat planes and angles, which is kinda how painting works anyway, right? Looking at the surface, you can see the marks where Gris layered up the pencil strokes to create areas of shadow and depth. It’s not about smooth blending, it’s about showing the process, letting us see how the image is built up, bit by bit. Notice how the shapes intersect and overlap, creating a sense of space that’s both there and not there? The cluster of lines in the lower left, suggesting a tree, are like little arrows, pulling me into the composition. The whole drawing reminds me a bit of early Braque or Picasso, like they were all hanging out in Paris, swapping ideas. It’s a conversation, a constant back and forth, which is what makes art so exciting.