The artwork titled “The Bottle of Rum” was created by Georges Braque in 1914, in France. It is a piece executed with a combination of media including charcoal, collage, oil, and cardboard. This work is a representation of Synthetic Cubism, which is a later phase of Cubism that emphasizes the combination of different elements, textures, and materials to create an image. “The Bottle of Rum” falls into the genre of still life, which traditionally depicts inanimate subject matter, often a group of objects.
In the artwork, one can observe the fragmented forms and the use of collage typical of Synthetic Cubism. The choice of cardboard as a substrate provides a textured and sturdy base for the application of oils, while the use of collage elements introduces real-world references into the piece. Patches of color and varying textures contribute to a layered effect, creating a sense of depth and complexity. The bottle motif, presumably the rum of the title, is discernible yet abstracted, playing with the viewer’s familiarity with the object while subverting expectations through the use of cubist fragmentation and reconfiguration. The text element that appears within the collage further grounds the artwork in its contemporary context, hinting at commercial or quotidian aspects of life. Overall, Georges Braque’s artwork exemplifies the innovation and experimental spirit of Cubism in the early 20th century.