Glasses, Teacup, Bottle, and Pipe on a Table
Juan Gris Spanish
Not on view
The wood table, crockery, and glassware imply an ordinary kitchen, while the varnished tile-patterned wallpaper stands in for an oilcloth table cover. Two sensational murders are reported on the front page of the newspaper, generating an ominous atmosphere that is reinforced by the stark tonal contrasts. The meticulous hand-drawn reproduction of parallelepiped, a brainteasing pattern that goes back to antiquity, contributes to the visual drama. Gris also highlighted the newspaper’s contrasting photos of a Parisian monument, showing it first disguised by the handbills pasted over it, then in a cleaned-up and (as the caption states) “less picturesque” state. A covert allusion to collage was likely intended.
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