In 1906, Jacques Villon moved into one of the three pavilions at 7 Rue Lemaître in Puteaux, where he was later joined by his brother, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, and the Czech painter František Kupka. During this time, painting became increasingly important in Villon’s life, and the influence of Manet and the Fauves can be seen in his works.

In 1911, inspired by his brother Marcel Duchamp, Villon began his journey into Cubism. His studio in Puteaux became a gathering place for members of the Parisian avant-garde, including Walter Pach, František Kupka, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Albert Gleizes, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Metzinger, Francis Picabia, Fernand Léger, and Robert Delaunay. This group, known as the “Groupe de Puteaux,” embraced a cubist and abstract aesthetic that was not directly tied to the works of Braque and Picasso.

In 1912, motivated by Jacques Villon, the Puteaux group adopted the name “Section d’Or,” a term that references Renaissance masters. At the Salon d’Automne that same year, group members collaborated to design and decorate the « Maison Cubiste », a monumental project that created quite a scandal. Following the negative response from the Salon’s president, Franz Jourdain, Jacques Villon resigned from the Salon d’Automne committee. Just ten days after the opening of the Salon d’Automne, a pivotal exhibition took place in a furniture dealer’s hall on rue de la Boétie, named the « Salon de La Section d’Or ». This event united the leading figures of French modern art and stands as a landmark moment in the history of Cubism.