Woman Reading 1921

Henri Matisse made "Woman Reading" with oil on canvas, but when? It’s hard to pin down, isn’t it? I love the confidence of the brushstrokes here. See how he fearlessly puts that teal green against the red and white stripes of her skirt? He's not trying to trick you into thinking this is real, he's interested in how those colors sing together. Imagine Matisse in his studio, playing with the patterns, probably repainting sections over and over again, until they vibrated just the way he wanted. Do you think he ever struggled? Painters, we're all wrestling with the same beast, trying to get the paint to say what we feel. Matisse wasn't afraid to let the painting be a painting – flat, colorful, and a little bit awkward. It’s almost as if the painting wants to be a drawing. It reminds me of Vuillard, Bonnard, but in a less self-conscious way. His work lives on, sparking conversations, inspiring us to pick up a brush and join in.