The Dice 1922

Juan Gris made “The Dice”, probably in Paris with oil on canvas; it’s a still life but it’s also kind of a puzzle. He built it up from small brushstrokes, these aren’t blended at all, so you can still see how the colour’s been layered on, one little dab at a time. Look at the brown block near the center of the picture - to me, it looks like he’s lightly scrubbed the paint into the canvas, so the texture of the canvas becomes part of the image itself, kind of roughing it up. The palette here is so muted and earthy, which is so striking to me because it helps the mind to build up a world around the objects depicted here. This idea of seeing the world in fractured form reminds me of Picasso, but Gris brings a softer touch. It feels less about breaking things apart, and more about fitting pieces together in a new way. A playful, thoughtful take on Cubism.