The artwork entitled “Pedestal Table in front of the Window,” created by Juan Gris in 1921, is an oil on canvas piece belonging to the Synthetic Cubism movement. Measuring 100 by 65 cm, this still life is part of a private collection. The genre emphasizes the juxtaposition and amalgamation of different forms, playing with perspective and representation.
In the artwork, Gris employs a monochromatic and restrained color palette, harmonizing shades of brown, gray, and ochre, punctuated with segments of black and hints of blue. His methodical composition consists of geometric shapes and fragmented objects, typical of Cubist works, which create a flattened sense of space. Despite the abstraction, elements of the still life are recognizable — there appears to be a guitar, sheet music, a window, and perhaps a vase or vessel on a pedestal table, as the title suggests. The play of light and shadow suggests a source of illumination from outside the frame, contributing to the sense of depth and dimensionality in this complex visual puzzle. The sharp angles and overlapping planes invite the viewer to navigate through the canvas, discerning the familiar objects within an unconventional arrangement that defies traditional perspectives.
