What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Part I

Before establishing himself as a prominent Cubist painter, Juan Gris worked as an illustrator for various publications, including the French satirical journal L’Assiette au Beurre (The Butter Plate). Founded in 1901, L’Assiette au Beurre was known for its politically charged illustrations and commentary. Gris contributed drawings and illustrations to the publication as soon as he moved to Paris. Gris’ involvement with the press offered him a platform to engage with contemporary issues and experiment with visual storytelling. Although it occurred early in his career, this journalistic experience likely had a formative influence on his artistic development and allowed him to refine his skills in composition, line, and form, laying the groundwork for his later achievements–as proven by the present work.Apaches was produced a few years after Gris arrived in Paris. It was published several years later in the Catalan, pro-republican weekly satirical magazine, L’Esquella de la Torratxa, as the illustration of a play on words between marks (the currency) and marcqs (the catalan word for frame): “One hundred thousand marks is promised to a German who discovers the Gioconda/Well, offering this many frames for only one picture...it sure is loose to me.”