Guitar and Glass

Juan Gris Spanish

Not on view

Gris’s meticulous collage technique resembles marquetry, the practice of inlaying wood to create complex patterns. To cut, match, and place the many paper fragments that compose his still lifes required great finesse. In Guitar and Glass, the boudoir pattern of the wallpaper, which imitates Rococo silk, complements the soft, hand-drawn curves of the reclining guitar and contrasts with the geometry of the cutouts and grid lines that anchor the composition. Slender strips of paper representing the instrument’s strings, like the wineglass tipping over the table edge, invite exploratory touch and enhance the sensual implications.

Guitar and Glass, Juan Gris (Spanish, Madrid 1887–1927 Boulogne-sur-Seine), Cut-and-pasted printed wallpapers, laid paper, gouache, and crayon on paperboard

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Photograph by Lisa Mitchell