Nature Morte À La Daurade 1920

Henri Matisse made this still life, Nature Morte À La Daurade, with oil paint. The artist has used the traditional art material of oil paint, with a visible texture and brushwork. Matisse has built up a sense of weight through layering the paint, with each layer catching the light. You can see his careful attention to the surfaces, the shiny silver plate, the silky cloth, the scaly skin of the fish. The still life traditionally evokes a sense of plenty, and hints at larger social and economic systems. The labour involved in catching the fish is contrasted with the domestic labour of laying the table, and Matisse’s own artistic labour. In this way, everyday life is transformed through the application of paint. By focusing on the materials and making of this painting, we can appreciate its connection to both artistic traditions and to the wider world of work, consumption, and everyday life.