Nature Morte Cubiste

María Blanchard prints bring the bold shapes of Cubism and the deep feeling of her later figures into your home. Blanchard was a Spanish painter who worked in Paris beside Juan Gris, developed a Cubism of her own, and then turned to powerful, melancholy pictures of women and children. Our collection of fine art prints includes her Cubist still lifes, seated figures, mothers and children and musicians.

About María Blanchard

María Gutiérrez-Cueto y Blanchard was born in Santander on 6 March 1881, the daughter of a journalist. She was born with a deformed spine and hip problems, walked with a limp and was teased at school, and her father encouraged her to draw. Painting became her way of expressing sadness.

In 1903 she moved to Madrid to study at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando under Emilio Sala and Manuel Benedito. A prize at the 1908 National Exhibition won her a grant from Santander, and in 1909 she went to Paris to study at the Académie Vitti with Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa and Kees van Dongen. There she discovered Cubism, influenced by Jacques Lipchitz and Juan Gris.

The First World War sent her back to Madrid in 1914, but in 1916 she returned to Paris for good. She became a close friend of Juan Gris and joined the Section d'Or group. Exhibitions in 1920 and 1921 brought success, but money remained short. Gris's death in 1927 left her deeply depressed. She supported her sister and nephews by painting until tuberculosis made work impossible, and died in Paris on 5 April 1932, aged 51.

Style and Subjects

Blanchard's Cubist works, made around 1916 to 1919, use flat, interlocking shapes and strong, clear colour, close to the work of her friend Juan Gris. Still lifes, guitars and seated women are broken into clean geometric planes.

From around 1920 her painting became more figurative and traditional, but no less striking. Women, mothers and children appear in harsh, bright colours, with heavy, solid forms and a mood of sadness and tenderness.

Famous Works

• Primeros pasos (First Steps) (1908). The picture that won her a prize at Spain's National Exhibition.
• La Communiante (Girl at Her First Communion) (1914), Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid. A young girl in white for her first communion.
• Woman with a Fan (1916), Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid. An early Cubist painting of flat, interlocking shapes.
• Cubist Composition (1916), Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid. A Cubist work from her return to Paris.
• Cubist Still Life (Nature morte cubiste) (1917), Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid. A still life built from clean geometric planes.
• Still Life with Red Lamp. A Cubist still life lit by a glowing red lamp.
• La Boulonnaise (1922–1923), Museo del Prado, Madrid. A woman from Boulogne, bought by the Prado in 2021.

Decorating with Blanchard Prints

Blanchard's Cubist still lifes suit modern interiors: a living room, study or dining room with clean lines and bold accent colours. A print such as Nature Morte Cubiste looks striking against white or grey walls in a slim black frame.

Her later figures, such as Maternité or Seated Woman, are tender and introspective and work well in a bedroom, reading corner or quiet hallway.

FAQ

What art movement was María Blanchard part of?

Blanchard was a Cubist who developed her own style within the movement. She was a member of the Section d'Or group and later painted in a more figurative manner.

Was María Blanchard friends with Juan Gris?

Yes. She became a close friend of Juan Gris in Paris, and he strongly influenced her work. His death in 1927 affected her deeply.

Where did María Blanchard study?

She studied in Madrid at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and in Paris at the Académie Vitti under Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa and Kees van Dongen.

Where can I see María Blanchard's paintings?

The Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid holds many of her works, and the Prado bought La Boulonnaise in 2021. Works are also in the Hood Museum of Art and the Courtauld.

What makes Blanchard's style recognizable?

Her Cubist works use flat, interlocking shapes in strong colour. Her later figures are solid and heavy, painted in bright, clashing colours with a sad, tender mood.

Related Artists

• Juan Gris: Spanish Cubist and her close friend
• Albert Gleizes: Cubist painter of the Section d'Or circle
• Diego Rivera: painter who wrote admiringly of her work