Artwork
Fruit Bowl
Fruit Bowl is an oil painting by the Cubism Synthetic artist Juan Gris. It dates from 1925 and is held in the collection of the Musée d'art moderne de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1925, this oil painting by Juan Gris presents a modest still life composed of a bowl of fruit, two green pears, and a folded newspaper. The objects rest on a surface draped with a muted gray cloth, forming a compact arrangement that emphasizes balance and clarity. The work is part of the collection of the Musée d'art Moderne in Paris.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes everyday items, a fruit bowl and a newspaper, inviting contemplation of domestic routine and the passage of time. The inclusion of the paper, bearing the partial headline "LEJ," anchors the scene in a contemporary setting, while the fruit suggests nourishment and the fleeting nature of consumption.
Technique & Style
Gris employs a restrained palette of muted tones, allowing the geometric outlines of the bowl, pears, and newspaper to dominate the visual field. The painting’s flat planes and precise delineation reflect his Cubist sensibility, reducing forms to simplified shapes that convey order without sacrificing the tactile suggestion of the cloth and fruit skins.
History & Provenance
After its completion in the mid‑1920s, the canvas entered the holdings of the Musée d'art Moderne in Paris, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to representing the development of Cubist still life during the interwar period.
Artist & collection
Artist
José Victoriano González-Pérez, better known as Juan Gris, was a Spanish painter born in Madrid who lived and worked in France for most of his active period.
