Landscape at Collioure 1905

Henri Matisse made this painting, Landscape at Collioure, with oil on canvas. Look at the way Matisse lays down each stroke like he's planting a garden, the marks are these vibrant little seeds, each one placed with intention. It’s like he’s not just painting what he sees, but how he feels about being in this place. I am drawn to the small dashes of red towards the bottom, they seem to suggest a path, drawing you into the scene. The canvas isn’t overloaded, the paint isn't trying too hard, it breathes, leaving space for the eye to wander, and for the imagination to fill in the blanks. There is a real generosity in his approach. Matisse reminds me of Bonnard, how he also used color to evoke feeling and memory. But Matisse is bolder, less concerned with representation, and more focused on the pure joy of painting. It’s not just a landscape, it’s an emotional landscape.