Can you picture a young José Victoriano González-Pérez honing his craft? That was the original name of Juan Gris. Here at Gris – Taller de Pintura y Dibujo we celebrate his artistic journey. Gris was born in Madrid in 1887. He became a leading figure in Cubism.
Gris first studied mechanical drawing in Madrid. He attended the Escuela de Artes y Manufacturas from 1902 to 1904. During this time, he also created drawings for local magazines. From 1904 to 1905, he studied painting with José Maria Carbonero. Carbonero was an academic artist. Between 1905 and 1906, Gris worked as an illustrator. He produced Art Nouveau drawings for “Renacimiento Latino.” He also illustrated a book of poems. The book was titled “Alma América” by José Santo Chocano.
In 1906, Gris moved to Paris. He would remain there for most of his life. He associated with many artists there. These included Georges Braque, Fernand Léger and Pablo Picasso. He also knew writers like Guillaume Apollinaire and Max Jacob. Gris started painting seriously in 1910. By 1912, he had developed his own Cubist style.
Gris had his first exhibition in 1912. It was at the Salon des Indépendants in Paris. He also exhibited in Barcelona, Berlin and Rouen. French art dealer D.H. Kahnweiler signed him. Kahnweiler gained exclusive rights to Gris’s work.
His technical drawing knowledge may have impacted his Cubism. His approach was often called scientific. From 1913 to 1914, Gris explored words in Cubist painting. Picasso and Braque had introduced this through collage. Gris used papier collé. It helped him achieve greater surface activity. He made clearer compositional structures. He created a complex interplay between descriptive and verbal representation modes.
During World War I, Gris focused on musical instruments. He also painted music sheets, books and domestic objects. Between 1916 and 1918, he took on a leading role in Cubism. He became a respected friend to other influential artists.
From 1916 to 1920, Gris’s Cubist classicism developed. It became associated with a pure Cubist practice. In 1921, he wrote in L’Esprit nouveau. It was a Purist magazine. He claimed to start by manipulating flat shapes. Only later did he qualify them. They then became identifiable as subject matter. He worked deductively. He moved from the general to the particular. He went from the abstract to the concrete. This ensured his art had a basis in conception. It was not just in perception. He called this process synthetic. He distinguished it from the analysis of things. He considered that analysis fundamental to his earlier Cubism.
Gris’s first major solo show was in 1919. It was at Rosenberg’s Galerie l’Effort Moderne in Paris. His production diminished in May 1920 due to illness. It may have been undiagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis. He was hospitalized until August 1920. He recovered until 1921. However, he did paint again in autumn 1920.
From 1921 to 1922, as Gris regained his health, he produced successful classical synthetic works. These included open-window paintings. Still lifes were placed before open windows. They seemed to merge into Mediterranean and mountain views.
Between autumn 1922 and 1924, Gris’s paintings became richer. They had more vibrant colors. His subjects became more naturalistic and anecdotal. He included images of clowns. Sometimes they appeared drunk.
Gris remained committed to his Cubist position. In April 1924, he delivered a lecture at the Sorbonne. It was titled ‘Sur les possibilités de la peinture’. It was his most elaborate explanation of his ideas on synthesis. It was also about art as creation.
From 1924 until his death, Gris gained commercial and critical success. He also returned to what he saw as uncompromising synthetic Cubism.
From October 1925, Gris’s health declined. He died in Boulogne-sur-Seine on May 11, 1927. He was only forty years old. He left behind his wife, Josette, and son, Georges.
Today Gris – Taller de Pintura y Dibujo keeps his legacy alive. It inspires new generations of artists. It reminds us of Gris’s innovative spirit.