Juan Gris

His real name was José Victoriano González Pérez. He was born in Madrid on March 23, 1887. Behind the pseudonym of Juan Gris lies one of the most relevant figures in the history of Spanish art. Despite an early death at forty years old, José Victoriano González represents the master of synthetic cubism. He spent his early formative years studying at the School of San Fernando in Madrid. After leaving it, he became a disciple of painter José Moreno Carbonero and began illustrating modernist drawings in poetry magazines and the press in general such as "Blanco y Negro" and "Madrid Cómico". In 1906 he moved to Paris, where he was welcomed by Daniel Vázquez Díaz and introduced to the building known as "Le Bateau Lavoir", coming into direct contact with Picasso, Guillaume Apollinaire, André Salmon and Max Jacob. Through Picasso, who at that time was investigating cubism, he meets Georges Braque and Maurice Raynal. During that period he illustrates in French magazines such as "Le Rire", "Le Charivari", "L'Assiette au Beurre" or "Le Témoin", while sending his drawings to the Catalan humorous magazine "Papitu". In 1912 he joined the cubist movement, signed a contract with Henry Kahnweiler, celebrated his first individual exhibition at the Sagot Gallery, participated in the Salon des Indépendants—where he exhibited his Portrait of Picasso—displayed his work with the La Section d'Or group at the Boétie Gallery and at the Exhibition of Cubist Art organized by Josep Dalmau. In 1913 he spent a season in Céret while creating compositions of an entirely cubist type such as Still Life with Guitar, The Smoker and The Three Cards that foreshadow the coldness, sobriety and purity typical of his work. The following year, his work is characterized by the use of collage. After World War I and a period of economic hardship, his painting evolved toward the so-called "return to order". Until the end of his life, he continued illustrating drawings and engravings in avant-garde publications and exhibiting in the best galleries. During the 1920s his health seriously deteriorated and he died, at barely forty years old, in Boulogne-Sur-Seine on May 11, 1927.