Mlle. Matisse en manteau écossais 

Henri Matisse painted "Mlle. Matisse en manteau écossais" at an unknown date using oil on canvas. Here, we see Matisse’s daughter, Marguerite, in a bold tartan coat, seated on a balcony. This image can tell us a lot about the cultural milieu of early 20th-century France and the place of art within it. The Scottish coat, a luxury item, speaks to the rising affluence of the bourgeoisie. Yet, Matisse's loose brushstrokes and flattened perspective reject academic realism. This was a deliberate move away from the art establishment, aligning with the avant-garde's challenge to traditional values. Matisse, like other artists of his time, found himself navigating a complex art world, one in which independent artists sought to define their values against those of institutions like the Salon system. To fully understand this work, it is helpful to consider not only the artist’s intentions, but also the institutions and social forces that shaped its creation and reception. Researching the fashion trends of the time, the history of the Salon, and the socio-economic context of France would give us a deeper understanding of its meaning.