The artwork “Still Life with Newspaper” is an oil on canvas painting by Juan Gris created in 1918. Gris, a Spanish painter, was a significant figure in the Synthetic Cubism movement, which sought to simplify the subjects into basic shapes and forms. This still life is a classic example of Synthetic Cubism, characterized by the use of geometric shapes and the interplay of negative and positive space to reconstruct the subject in an abstract manner. The artwork belongs to the still life genre and, as of the last information, is housed within a private collection.
Observing the artwork, one can discern the fragmented objects typical of Cubist compositions. Shades of muted yellow, brown, and grey dominate the painting, with the subtle use of shadows and highlights to suggest form and depth within the flattened pictorial space. Geometric representations create the illusion of folded newspapers and a glass, among other objects, interlocked in harmonious stillness. Despite the abstract nature of Cubism, there’s an inherent organization and balance within the chaos of shapes, indicative of Gris’ meticulous approach to composition within this revolutionary art movement.
