The Abduction of Europe 1929

Henri Matisse made 'The Abduction of Europe' using what looks like diluted paint, maybe gouache, with charcoal lines on a canvas or maybe paper, it's hard to tell. The colors are pale, like a faded memory, and the forms are outlined with a shaky hand. I am really interested in the bull's head – how Matisse hasn't bothered to describe it too carefully. It's a kind of shorthand for a bull, like a child's drawing. This reminds me that painting isn’t about perfect representation, but about finding the essence of something, even if it's a bit wonky. I think of Cy Twombly, who also embraced the beauty of the imperfect line. Both artists remind us that art is a conversation, an ongoing exploration of form, color, and the messy, beautiful process of making. It’s not about getting it right, but about discovering something new along the way.