Harlequin 1916

Juan Gris made this drawing of a Harlequin, probably in the early 20th century, with graphite on paper. I see this piece as a study in geometry, a practice in seeing the world through shapes. Look at how the lines aren’t just descriptive but constructive, building the form from the inside out. The paper has a warmth that softens the austerity of the lines, giving the drawing an inviting quality. There’s something almost architectural about the way the figure is built up, like a blueprint for a sculpture. My eye keeps going to the Harlequin’s hand, the way Gris has rendered fingers as a series of angles - it looks strangely like a deconstructed comb. It’s interesting to consider the influence of someone like Cezanne on Gris, that idea of reducing everything to its essential geometric components. There's no definitive meaning, just a space for ongoing conversation and exchange across time.