The Bottle of Anis
Juan Gris Spanish
Not on view
The word-and-image play in this amusing collage asserts Gris’s position as part of an elite Cubist trio, the “DESTILLACION ESPECIAL” (special distillation) as per the claim on the label from a popular alcoholic drink. The enjoyment to be had is as much about amis (friends) as anis, the licorice-flavored spirit. The logo includes its place of manufacture, Badalona, a suburb of Barcelona, and two prize-winning medallions from Paris and Madrid; these were emblematic cities for Picasso, Braque, and Gris, respectively. The lattice pattern on the “tipsy” bottle mimics the original’s pressed glass design, itself a mass-produced imitation of real cut glass.
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