Guitar on a table, 1915, 73x92 cm, Rijksmuseum Kroller- Juan Gris (1887-1927)

The composition presents a still life arrangement rendered in a fractured and fragmented style. A guitar dominates the central space, its form deconstructed into geometric planes that overlap and intersect. The instruments body is primarily composed of blues – varying shades from deep indigo to lighter cerulean – interspersed with areas of black and white, creating a sense of depth and volume despite the flattened perspective. The strings are suggested by thin, parallel lines, while the sound hole appears as a dark circular void.
Alongside the guitar rests a sheet of paper, also broken down into angular segments. Musical notation is faintly discernible on its surface, further reinforcing the connection to music. The paper’s edges appear to fold and curve, echoing the distortion applied to the guitars form.
The objects are positioned atop a table or similar horizontal plane, which itself is depicted with a similarly fragmented approach. A dark brown hue characterizes this surface, providing a grounding element within the otherwise dynamic arrangement of shapes.
Surrounding the central still life elements is an abstract background constructed from triangular and angular forms in muted greens, blues, and browns. These shapes seem to press in on the subject matter, creating a sense of enclosure or compression. A patterned area, featuring small dots arranged in geometric configurations, occupies the upper right corner, adding another layer of visual complexity.
The work’s subtexts revolve around themes of perception and representation. The deliberate dismantling of recognizable forms suggests an exploration of how we construct meaning through visual experience. The guitar, a symbol of music and cultural expression, is stripped of its conventional appearance, prompting reflection on the nature of artistic interpretation and the subjective quality of reality. The inclusion of musical notation hints at a deeper engagement with structure, rhythm, and harmony – not just in music itself, but also as principles governing visual composition. The overall effect is one of intellectual inquiry rather than straightforward depiction; it invites viewers to actively participate in reconstructing the scene from its constituent fragments.