"Avoirdupois" by Max Weber, 1915. Oil on canvas. “Avoirdupois” features fragmented geometric shapes that epitomize Cubism. The French term refers to a system of weights; but can also be translated as "to have some peas," which explains the dish containing shelled green peas hanging in the balance. Avoirdupois can also suggest being overweight - and Max Weber, advocate of avant-garde art, was among the young artists who dismissed earlier academic works as bloated and out of date. The subtle color palette of greys and earth tones with “Avoirdupois” painted in a deep red in the center offset the abstract, disjointed architectual and mechanical elements.