The artwork “Still Life with Bottle and Glass” was created by Juan Gris in 1914. This piece, which resides within the genre of still life, is a representation of the Synthetic Cubism movement. The dimensions of the piece measure 46.5 by 38 centimeters. The artwork is currently housed in the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany.
The composition displays objects associated with a still life setting, most notably a bottle and a glass. Gris’s approach to Synthetic Cubism is evident through the simplified geometric shapes and the juxtaposition of various textures and patterns. The palette is relatively restrained, with blues, browns, and whites dominating, punctuated by segments of black and green. The overlaid planes and fragmented forms create a sense of depth and dimensionality.
The artist has carefully balanced the elements to create a harmonious composition despite the abstraction, masterfully guiding the viewer’s eye through the arrangement of shapes and the interplay of light and shadow. Through the manipulation of form and space, Gris challenges traditional perceptions of reality, inviting the viewer to reconstruct the objects from the abstracted representation.
