The Musician’s Table

In 1912, Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso invented the cubist technique known as papier collé, a method of adhering paper elements to a composition to push their break with the tradition of painted representation. Gris occasionally made use of papier collé, at this time, but he was the first among the Cubists to exhibit such a composition (The Washstand, 1912, private collection) and was lauded for his "curious originality." In 1914, the months preceding the outbreak of war, Gris devoted himself almost exclusively to this hybrid medium, creating over forty compositions. This work includes a clever message: the newspaper that appears on the tabletop was made from two different editions; Gris’s invented headline acknowledges mounting tensions around the world, but also the rivalry between the Cubists over technical and formal innovations. His message, however, goes beyond the newspaper headlines: with the inclusion of a violin and staves awaiting notes, The Musician’s Table suggests the artist’s hope for harmony with his colleagues.

Credit: Leonard A. Lauder Cubist Collection, Purchase, Leonard A. Lauder Gift, in celebration of the Museum’s 150th Anniversary, 2018