Place des Lices, St. Tropez 1904

Henri Matisse made "Place des Lices, St. Tropez" with oil on canvas sometime during his wild, prolific period. Look how the brushstrokes dance and play, building up the image like mosaic tiles! It’s all about the process. The texture of the paint is alive, with the thick impasto creating a real physical presence. The way he uses complimentary colors – these blues and oranges – makes everything vibrate with energy. Notice the big tree, its branches framing the scene, painted in these juicy, almost bruised purples. It’s like a stage curtain, drawing us into the heat and light of the St. Tropez scene beyond. Those small strokes build into a vision of lush foliage. Matisse reminds me of Bonnard, both with an incredible sensitivity to color, turning ordinary scenes into something pretty spectacular. Ultimately, this is a painting that celebrates the pure joy of seeing, and the simple act of putting paint on canvas.