Gris, Juan

Fantomas (Pipe and Newspaper)

1915 (190 Kb); Oil on canvas, 59.8 x 73.3 cm (23 1/2 x 28 7/8 in); National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (DC 146)

There was a third great Cubist, the Spaniard Juan Gris (1887-1927). He died young and never moved on from the style, though he progressively brightened and clarified it. With this single-mindedness, Gris can be thought of as the one absolute Cubist. Fantômas has a harlequinish gaiety with its shifting planes and witty celebration of newspapers, magazines, and entertainment. With its stylish sophistication, we would never think it was a Braque or Picasso.