The Wolf Possibly 1947

Editor: Here we have Henri Matisse’s “The Wolf,” possibly from 1947. It's a striking collage using tempera and print. The geometric shapes and bold colors create an immediate sense of tension, but I’m not entirely sure what to make of it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The power of this piece lies in the universality of its symbolism. Consider the wolf, often a creature of myth, representing both fear and primal instinct. Matisse simplifies its form to its essence, almost like a heraldic symbol, removing any literal representation, pushing it into our collective cultural memory. Notice the placement within the contrasting blocks of color—what emotional response does this color dichotomy provoke within you? Editor: I see it now. The blue feels colder, maybe representing the wilderness, and the red, more aggressive. And the pink shapes against the blue... almost organic, disrupting the geometric harshness. Curator: Exactly! The shapes, seemingly simple, all hold weight. Think of how often the colour red appears as a marker for both aggression, life-force, and rage. Then question the relationship between this inner emotional register, with the natural wilderness outside. Do you believe they can exist separate, or do they inevitably overlap? Editor: I guess they are interwoven here, as are so often the internal and external. Thanks, that was incredibly helpful. Curator: And a new set of eyes allows these inherited traditions to become visible again. It is in seeing together that we can bring these old totems to new light.