The Watch (The Sherry Bottle)

This painting by Juan Gris still life in 1912, during the height of Analytical Cubism. A watch and sherry bottle fragment into geometric planes, their forms simultaneously viewed from multiple angles. The muted browns, grays, and ochres typical of early Cubism unify the composition.

Gris arrived in Paris in 1906 and quickly joined Picasso and Braque in developing Cubist techniques. Unlike his colleagues' more intuitive approach, Gris brought mathematical precision to his work. This painting demonstrates his mastery of breaking down familiar objects into abstract yet recognizable forms.