Art Analysis: Jean Metzinger
Jean Metzinger was a very talented French artist who lived from 1883-1956. Metzinger played a very influential role in the pioneering of the art form of known as cubism. In Metzingers’ piece named Le Goûter (translates to “taste” and “tea-time”), it provides a mesmerizing depiction of the elements of shape, color and tone. This painting was created in 1911 and the destination that this piece was created in is unknown. Metzinger uses shape to illustrate a form of cubism in painting. As stated earlier, Metzinger was influential in the once-new style of cubism, which is the idea of moving around an object in order to see it from different viewpoints.
In Le Goûter, it can appear distorted at first glance, but upon closer inspection of the cube shapes, you will notice the same object painted but from different perspectives. An example of this is with the teacup - the left side of the cup is perceived from the side while the right side is seen from above. A philosopher by the name of Henri Bergson stated “the world is not composed of static objects isolated in empty space. Instead, everything exists in duration – a continuous flow of time and space.” (Bergson n.d.). In Le Goûter, this idea of Bergson is illustrated by the showing of different perspectives and rejecting the static single viewpoint, in order to show the object in continuous motion through time.
(Metzinger, J., 1911. Le Goûter)
Color and tone are greatly highlighted in this painting as well. The woman in the painting is colored with what appears to be multiple tones of white, which symbolizes purity and goodness. To me this coloring is showing the life that inside of her. In the background, there are small black shadows, indicating it is maybe early in the morning or late at night. The many tones of red, to me, symbolize either a candle or fire that is going on one side of the room she is in. The overall picture I get when viewing this piece of art is a woman sitting at a table drinking tea early in the morning taking in her surroundings as the fire begins to light up the room.
My final view point of this fantastic painting is the understanding of perspectives. While I was studying this piece and trying to pick out fine details, I had a clear message coming through to not see only a single point's perspective. It is easy to look at anything in life as a single point perspective, but we must look at all different perspectives life has to offer. We must look from the left and right side, from above and from below in order to attain the best picture of what we are facing. This is something I am going to start applying more in my life - viewing situations from all viewpoints and not just becoming fixed on that single view or shape. Le Goûter is a marvelous piece of art which encompasses a great use of shape, color, and tone. Metzinger continues to challenge people's perspectives to this day through this works of art.
Dr. Charles Cramer and Dr. Kim Grant, "Modern art and reality," in Smarthistory, June 16, 2020, accessed September 18, 2022,
Metzinger, J., 1911. Le Goûter. [Oil on cardboard].
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Hi, Drew! This is such a fantastic piece. I love the point you make about perspectives and time. I think the way Metzinger used shape in this piece contributes to that. It all comes together in a thoughtful way that takes a second glance to start to see; there's a sense of unfolding or a slow reveal present in this work. The more you look at it, the more you can see.
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