The Crossword Puzzle by Juan Gris

The intellectual rigor of cubism is masterfully deployed under the brushes of Juan Gris in this painting entitled “The Crossword Puzzle”. The artist endeavors to deconstruct everyday objects in order to rearrange them according to a pure and poetic geometric order. Through this work of deconstruction, he questions our relationship with perception and space. This work fits perfectly into his period of stylistic maturity where color and form merge into a cohesive whole.

On a dark brown wooden table, a large white pitcher with geometric lines features a black and white checkerboard pattern on its side. Next to it, a wide-open book or newspaper reveals pages decorated with similar checkered designs that echo the pitcher. A transparent glass with an angular design stands on the right, capturing the surrounding light with great delicacy. In the foreground, two pears of a deep olive green provide a soft and contrasting organic shape. The light grey background is enhanced with a blue geometric motif recalling interlocking Greek lines. A clear and homogeneous light sculpts each volume with precision.

The craftsmanship of Gris is illustrated here by his delicate treatment of the texture of gouache and oil paint. Through extremely precise transitions of values, he succeeds in making the objects palpable while preserving their abstraction. This demonstration of technical mastery highlights the creative genius of this great cubist theorist.