Nature morte II (Still Life II)
1912
Medium
etching and drypoint in black on wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 32.6 × 45.5 cm (12 13/16 × 17 15/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1972.68.1
Art Historical Context
Georges Braque’s *Nature morte II* (Still Life II), created in 1912, captures the revolutionary spirit of early Cubism through the intimate medium of printmaking. As a co-founder of the movement alongside Pablo Picasso, Braque frequently explored fragmented forms and multiple viewpoints in his still lifes, transforming everyday objects into complex geometric arrangements. This etching and drypoint, rendered in black on wove paper, reflects that innovative approach at a pivotal moment when Cubism was shifting from its analytical phase toward more collage-inspired experiments. The choice of etc...
About the Artist
Georges Braque
Georges Braque (1882–1963) was a French painter, collagist, and sculptor who, together with Pablo Picasso, invented Cubism — one of the most revolutionary developments in the history of Western art. Born in Argenteuil and raised in Le Havre, he initially trained as a house painter and decorator before studying fine art at the Académie Humbert and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Braque's early ...