1918 Guitare et cruche sur une table Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1908-1918

The composition presents a still life rendered in a highly stylized and abstracted manner. A table surface dominates the lower portion of the canvas, delineated by dark, almost black, vertical planes that suggest its structural support. Above this, a series of geometric forms are arranged, creating an ambiguous spatial relationship between foreground and background.
The color palette is restrained, primarily utilizing muted tones of gray, blue, green, and ochre. These colors contribute to a somber, introspective atmosphere. The application of paint appears deliberate, with flat planes of color defining the shapes rather than suggesting volume or texture. This reinforces the painting’s emphasis on formal structure over representational accuracy.
The arrangement of forms is particularly noteworthy. A dark green block sits centrally, acting as a visual anchor. Superimposed upon this are lighter, more fragmented shapes – a yellow-ochre rectangle with a small circular element at its center, and a curved form that seems to partially obscure the background. These overlapping planes create a sense of depth while simultaneously flattening the image into a series of interconnected surfaces.
The presence of the circle within the yellow shape draws immediate attention; it functions as a focal point, yet its meaning remains elusive. It could be interpreted as an eye, suggesting observation or awareness, or simply as a formal element contributing to the overall balance of the composition. The guitar and jug alluded to in the title are not readily identifiable as such; instead, they seem to have been reduced to their essential geometric components, integrated into the abstract arrangement.
The painting’s subtexts likely revolve around themes of memory, loss, and the fragmentation of experience. The muted colors and simplified forms evoke a sense of melancholy, while the ambiguous spatial relationships suggest a disrupted or dreamlike reality. The reduction of recognizable objects to their basic shapes could be seen as an attempt to distill them down to their essence, stripping away superficial details to reveal underlying structures or emotions. Ultimately, the work invites contemplation on the nature of perception and the ways in which we construct meaning from fragmented sensory information.