Portrait of the Artist's Mother 1912

Juan Gris made this Cubist portrait of his mother with oil on canvas. It’s 55 by 46 centimeters. The dominant colors in the portrait are muted browns, grays, and creams, creating a subdued and melancholic mood. I imagine Gris carefully constructing the painting, building up the image through a process of layering and refining geometric forms. I wonder if, while painting, Gris thought about his mother's strength and resilience, abstracting her features, and highlighting the timeless quality of her presence. He must have felt a push and pull between representation and abstraction. There’s a small circular dab of paint, placed where her neck might be, that could be seen as a pearl. He was in dialogue with the work of Picasso and Braque, who also explored Cubism, but Gris brought his unique sensibility to the style. Artists like Gris were, and are, constantly in conversation with each other across time, inspiring each other's creativity. Painting allows for endless interpretations and ongoing dialogues.