1914 Verre et bouteille de rhum empaillВe Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1908-1918

The composition presents a still life arranged on a table surface, rendered in a fractured and fragmented style. A dark green plane forms the backdrop, punctuated by vertical elements suggesting architectural features – a doorframe or partition – painted in muted browns and ochres. The objects themselves are deconstructed into geometric shapes and planes of color, defying traditional perspective and spatial coherence.
A wine glass, its stem elongated and distorted, occupies the left foreground. Scattered around it are sheets of paper bearing printed text, their forms similarly broken down into angular segments. A central grouping features a bottle – likely containing rum, judging by the accompanying label – encased within a complex network of patterned fabric or netting. This bottle is itself composed of overlapping planes and facets, its form abstracted to near-unrecognizability. To the right, a bowl with fruit sits atop a pedestal, also rendered in a mosaic of color blocks.
The palette is restrained, dominated by greens, yellows, browns, and blacks, with occasional accents of white and purple. The application of paint appears deliberate, with sharp edges delineating the various planes. Theres an intentional flatness to the image; depth is not created through traditional means but rather through the juxtaposition of these fragmented forms.
Beyond a straightforward depiction of objects, the work seems to explore themes of disintegration and reconstruction. The fractured nature of the elements suggests a disruption of order or reality. The inclusion of printed text hints at communication, perhaps distorted or incomplete. The bottle, seemingly trapped within its patterned enclosure, could symbolize confinement or the artificiality of experience. The overall effect is one of intellectual inquiry rather than purely aesthetic pleasure; it invites contemplation on perception, representation, and the nature of reality itself.