Flowers

Juan Gris Spanish

Not on view

Gris’s collages often hint at narrative scenarios, the wallpapers and other elements acting as clues for the viewer. In Flowers, the combination of the “masculine” pipe and the “feminine” bouquet (formed from different flowery papers, including Leroy’s daffodil pattern, displayed below), along with the wine and coffee, imply a lovers’ meeting. The hand-painted midnight blue surround and the faux marble wallpaper underline the erotic atmosphere. (The Leroy sample shown below is printed in a different colorway.) American author Gertrude Stein, who befriended Gris in Paris, acquired Flowers soon after it was created in spring 1914.

Flowers, Juan Gris (Spanish, Madrid 1887–1927 Boulogne-sur-Seine), Collage of cut printed and painted papers with black crayon, black, blue and white matte opaque paints on canvas, mounted to a honeycomb panel

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