Coffee Grinder and Glass

Juan Gris was a key figure in the development of Cubism. In his Coffee Grinder and Glass, he breaks down everyday forms into multiple intersecting planes, which he then reassembles on the flat surface of the canvas. Traditional perspective and the illusion of depth are intentionally disrupted—evident in the way the lines of the tabletop merge with the slats of the louvered window shade in the lower right, and in the way the table surface is tilted sharply toward the viewer.

Gris includes the letters "Le J", referencing Le Journal, a French newspaper, and nodding to the Cubist technique of collage, where printed or textured materials are adhered directly to the artwork. What most distinguishes Gris’s style, however, is his use of rich, jewel-toned colors, lending the composition a vivid and luminous quality.

Today, to celebrate the birthday anniversary of another great Cubist, Georges Braque, we are having a special sale for you! Only today you can enroll in our online course Cubism 101: Picasso, Braque and the Others with a 25% discount. Unfortunately, we can't feature Braque's works because of the copyrights, but we hope you like Gris too!  :)

P.S. Are you a coffee lover? Here are 10 amazing paintings of coffee! These depictions captured the impact this drink had on our lives.