The Open Book 1925

Juan Gris made this painting, "The Open Book," with oil on canvas, and it currently lives at the Kunstmuseum in Bern. The painting has this angular vibe going on, like he’s building up the image piece by piece. I love how Gris uses the colors here, they're muted, almost like he's trying to tone down the scene. The tabletop feels real and the fruit looks delicious, but there’s a flatness, like he wants us to think about the painting as a painting. Look at that one dark rectangle near the top, it's not quite clear what it is, but it's so bold against the softer tones around it, it really grabs your attention. It’s these moments that make the painting sing. It feels like he’s having a conversation with someone like Braque, but pushing it further, taking the idea of seeing from multiple angles and making it entirely his own. Isn’t it amazing how a simple book can open up so many ideas?