Portrait of Germaine Raynal

This painting by Juan Gris portrait of Germaine Raynal in 1912, applying Analytical Cubism to portraiture. Germaine's figure is decomposed into angular forms that emerge from a dynamic background, her features fragmented yet recognizable. Gris had moved to Paris in 1906 and settled at the Bateau-Lavoir, where Pablo Picasso lived, putting him at the center of Cubist innovation.

The work measures 55 by 38 centimeters and demonstrates Gris's mastery in constructing images through planes and shapes. By 1912, the prominent dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler had agreed to purchase his entire artistic output. Germaine Raynal was an important figure in Gris's circle, serving as both muse and influence on his creative development.

This painting resides in a private collection. Gris also created a pencil study of the same subject. Major collections of his work can be found at the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid and the Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris.