The Reflection 1935

Henri Matisse made this painting, called The Reflection, with oil on canvas, and what grabs me is the way he simplifies everything into these big, bold shapes and colors. It's like he's saying, "Here's the basic structure, now you fill in the blanks." I’m struck by the material qualities, particularly the texture of the paint, which feels both deliberate and spontaneous, thick in some areas, thin in others. The lines on the model’s dress remind me of Diebenkorn, who, like Matisse, used stripes to flatten out the picture plane, and create interesting visual rhythms across the canvas. There's an ongoing conversation between artists across time, and Matisse is a master of inviting us into that dialogue, encouraging us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the table.