Photo of Juan Gris

Juan Gris (1887-1927) was a Spanish painter involved in the Cubism movement. Being friends with Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, their works would inspire Juan Gris in the coming future.

Gris would submit darkly humorous and satirical illustrations to magazines when he was working as a satirical cartoonist, and in 1910 Gris decided to take painting seriously, leaving his previous job of a satirical artist.

Gris’ cubist works could be described as a blend of Georges Braque and Picasso. The figures painted resemble Picasso’s work, however the entire painting is composed of patterns that resemble Braque’s work. Gris’ would often use collage and paints, being known for his use of colours.

Gris’ is also mainly noted for his contributions to Synthetic Cubism, as critics state that he had developed a personal and mature version of Synthetic Cubism.

I find Gris’ work very pleasing to the eye. I find that most Cubist pieces are somewhat hard to interpret or appreciate, as I prefer movements like Impressionism and Baroque for their use of colours. However, looking at Gris’ works I like the abstractions and use of patterns in his work; as it feels very methodical and somewhat organized compared to other paintings.