Port De Marseille 1917

Henri Matisse probably made this painting of the Port De Marseille with oils, but it looks so fresh, like he dashed it off in one go. The colours feel instinctive, not too labored, with the blues and oranges balancing each other out. The paint is applied pretty thinly; you can almost see the canvas texture coming through in places. Look at the buildings in the background, how they’re just these blocks of orange and gray, but they totally give you the feel of a bustling port. The strokes are quick, decisive. I particularly love the way he’s handled the water – this swirling gray mass that reflects just enough light to keep it alive. It’s a painting about feeling the moment, not about getting every detail perfect. It reminds me a little of some of the Fauvist landscapes, but Matisse is always his own thing, isn't he? He’s showing us that painting isn’t about copying the world, but about making something new out of it.