Juan Gris

Gonzales, Jose Victoriano
Spanish, 1887 - 1927

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We look down onto a pile with a newspaper, theater program, pipe, a black and white checkerboard, and other objects painted as abstracted, geometric forms on a tabletop in this nearly square still life painting. Near the center, a rectangular form like a newspaper is painted with the headline “LE JOURNAL.” Next to it, to our left, a playbill has the name “FANTOMAS” written in black against a parakeet-green background, above black mask and a “65” in a circle below. There are blocks of stylized, painted wood grain and other areas of color that do not line up with the objects represented. For instance, this conflicting pattern means that the lettering of the newspaper changes from white against the brown woodgrain to green against white. Moreover, seemingly unconnected to the objects, colors, and spaces below, yet more objects like a goblet and bowl of fruit are painted with white outlines that overlay the wood and objects below. A checkerboard pattern is layered under the woodgrain and papers, near the lower right corner, and another pattern like architectural molding carved with stylized leaves runs along the back, above the papers. The papers and a few other objects seem to cast shadows on the blocks of color behind them, so areas of lilac purple at the top left and burgundy red along the right edge read visually as a background behind everything. The artist signed the work in black on the lower left corner: “Juan Gris 8-1915.”
Juan Gris, Fantômas, 1915, oil on canvas, Chester Dale Fund, 1976.59.1

Fantômas

Juan Gris · 1915 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1976.59.1
This image shows a portrait of a person with their head and shoulders visible. The individual is facing forward with a slight turn of the head towards the side. The face has stylized features, including large eyes and defined lips. The short hair is depicted in a sleek manner. The person is wearing a simple collar. Below the image is the text "MARCELLE LA BRUNE." The background consists of abstract, angular shapes, suggesting a cubist influence.
Juan Gris, Marcelle la Brune, 1921, lithograph in green on paper, Gift of Ruth B. Benedict, 1994.60.31

Marcelle la Brune

Juan Gris · 1921 · lithograph in green on paper ·  Accession ID  1994.60.31
The image is a drawn portrait of a person seen from the shoulders up, facing the viewer with a subtle head tilt to the right. The individual has large eyes, arched eyebrows, full lips, and hair styled low across the forehead and in a bun at the back. They are depicted wearing a draped garment with minimal detailing, and an earring is visible. In the background, there are horizontal lines to the right. The drawing is monochromatic on textured paper with the names "Marcelle La Blonde" and "Juan Gris" at the bottom.
Juan Gris, Marcelle la Blonde, 1921, lithograph in red-brown, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.17.91

Marcelle la Blonde

Juan Gris · 1921 · lithograph in red-brown ·  Accession ID  1950.17.91
This image shows a line drawing of an individual from the shoulders up. The person is positioned in a three-quarter profile view, looking to the left. Their facial features include large, almond-shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and full lips. The hair is styled in a short, wavy bob that frames the face. The person is depicted wearing a simple, rounded-collared garment. There is no visible jewelry or objects being held. The background consists of light, abstract geometric shapes. The words "MARCELLE LA BRUNE" are written underneath the person's image, along with the artist's name, Juan Gris, and a date, "3.21."
Juan Gris, Marcelle la Brune, 1921, lithograph in dark green, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.17.92

Marcelle la Brune

Juan Gris · 1921 · lithograph in dark green ·  Accession ID  1950.17.92
Irregular, geometric shapes in burnt orange, pale peach, light blue, forest and mint green, brown, taupe, gray, and black are layered and spread across this horizontal, abstract painting. They are mostly flat planes of color. One shape to our right of center has four rows of rounded rectangles to create a checkboard pattern of sage green against terracotta brown. A wide parchment-brown band divides the checkboard from top to bottom. The artist signed the lower right, “Juan Gris.”
Juan Gris, Glass and Checkerboard, c. 1917, oil on wood, Woodner Collection. Gift of Dian Woodner, 2017.122.1

Glass and Checkerboard

Juan Gris · c. 1917 · oil on wood ·  Accession ID  2017.122.1
The image shows a sketch of a person in full body. The figure is standing with one leg slightly bent and one arm bent across the chest while the other hangs by their side. The person's face is partially detailed with an elongated shape, defined lips, and a prominent nose. The hair is abstractly depicted, and they wear a hat with a curved brim. The clothing consists of a fitted outfit with a diamond pattern and detailed sections on the sleeve. The figure seems to be holding or resting a long stick against the shoulder with one hand. The background includes lightly sketched abstract lines and shading, with no specific details provided regarding location or setting.
Juan Gris, Harlequin, 1916, graphite on wove paper, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1995.47.46

Harlequin

Juan Gris · 1916 · graphite on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1995.47.46
We look down at a wooden tabletop with two playing cards among stacked rectangles and wedges in this vertical, abstract painting. The two playing cards we can make out are a four of diamonds to our left and an ace of clubs to our right. The ace shifts from the traditional black club on a white background to a moss-green club on a black background on the top half. The other rectangles could be upside-down cards, though they are larger in scale than the face-up playing cards. These shapes are made with pea-green dots on a black background, areas of textured silvery olive green, and sky blue. The cards lie on a mostly complete corner of a table painted with wood grain, but triangles of wood grain, green polka dots, and blue intersect and bisect each other. A wide fern-green form with rounded lobes hanging from it fills the upper left corner, perhaps representing a tree. The area to its right is filled with baby blue edged with white. The artist signed the lower right, “Juan Gris.”
Juan Gris, Ace of Clubs and Four of Diamonds, 1915, oil on board, Gift of Robert and Mercedes Eichholz, 2014.17.12

Ace of Clubs and Four of Diamonds

Juan Gris · 1915 · oil on board ·  Accession ID  2014.17.12
The image shows a sketch of three tall bottles and a bowl. The color palette is simple, with various shades of grey and black against a white background. The bottles are arranged in a cluster, with two bottles almost parallel on the left side and the third slightly to the right. The bowl is in front of the bottles, placed on a flat surface near the bottom of the composition.
Juan Gris, Bottles and Bowl, 1911, graphite on laid paper, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1995.47.45

Bottles and Bowl

Juan Gris · 1911 · graphite on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1995.47.45
The image shows a couple seated on a park bench. The person on the left has reddish-brown hair styled in a voluminous way, wearing a white dress with black accents. The person on the right wears a cap, a checkered jacket, and a striped shirt. The setting includes stylized trees and a textured ground.
Juan Gris, Man and Woman on Bench, 1908/1909, charcoal, gouache, and watercolor on wove paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.4

Man and Woman on Bench

Juan Gris · 1908/1909 · charcoal, gouache, and watercolor on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1971.66.4