Woman's Head, Flowers in Her Hair 1919

Henri Matisse painted this portrait, "Woman's Head, Flowers in Her Hair," with oil on canvas, and what strikes me is how he’s embracing the 'what-is-ness' of paint itself. The colours are unexpected, not quite naturalistic, yet they create a vibrant, living presence. Look at the cheek, how pink it is! It’s like he's not trying to trick us into thinking this is real life, but instead saying, "Hey, look at this amazing, colourful surface I’m making!" The paint application varies – sometimes thin and washy, other times a little thicker, giving a real sense of texture. You can almost feel the movement of his hand, the direction of the brushstrokes, especially around the contours of her face and the bold, dark eyes. It reminds me a bit of Van Gogh, in that way of celebrating the materiality of paint. And like Van Gogh, Matisse isn't aiming for a perfect likeness but for a feeling, an emotion. This painting revels in the beauty of colour and form, inviting us to see the world in a new way.