Odalisque Au Tambourin Harmonie En Bleu 1926

Henri Matisse made this painting of an odalisque with a tambourine in blue harmony. Imagine Matisse in the studio, pushing the paint around, trying to get the colour and the rhythm just right. I always wonder what an artist is thinking when they make these kinds of decisions. Like, how much blue is too much blue? The surface has got that kind of matte, chalky feel that I love. The flatness of the blue patterned background just throws that figure forward. She’s almost floating there, suspended between the blues and reds. The colours feel both harmonious and a little bit edgy at the same time. It’s a difficult balance to achieve, and Matisse gets it just right. I imagine him looking at other artists and thinking, 'Yeah, I can do that, but I can push it further'. It makes you wonder what you can push further in your own work.