Still Life with a Box of Matches

This scene is like taken directly from Hemingway's books. This richly textured tabletop scene captures the familiar setting of a Paris café, with glassware, a soda siphon, a bottle of Benedictine liqueur, and the box of matches mentioned in the title. In this work, María Blanchard combines bold color with thick layers of paint, creating a lively Cubist composition. The surface is built up with unusual materials—including glass beads and both coarse and fine sand—adding tactile complexity to the image.

Blanchard was one of the most distinctive voices within Cubism, known for adapting the movement’s geometric language into compositions that feel both structured and emotionally expressive. Working primarily in Paris, she developed a personal style characterized by strong color contrasts, sculptural forms, and a sensitivity that set her apart from many of her contemporaries. During her lifetime, she was highly respected by fellow Cubists and shared studios with artists such as Juan Gris and Diego Rivera. Rivera even described her as producing some of Cubism’s finest works, second only to those of Pablo Picasso.

P.S. Take a closer look at the Cubist movement in our course Cubism 101: Picasso, Braque, and the Others. Explore the works of major figures, including Maria Blanchard, and gain a deeper appreciation of their revolutionary approach to form, color, and perspective.

P.P.S. Test your knowledge on the movement in our Cubist QUIZ!