Matisse's Table 1996

Ronnie Landfield created this painting entitled Matisse’s Table using loose brushstrokes and vibrant colours. Landfield emerged in the New York art scene in the late 1960s, a time when artists were pushing back against the dominance of formalist abstraction. His work reflects a broader cultural shift towards more expressive and individualistic modes of art-making. Note how Landfield's painting departs from the rigid geometry and impersonal surfaces of earlier abstract movements. Instead, the painting embraces a more intuitive and subjective approach to colour and form. The title of the artwork also suggests a conscious engagement with the history of modernism. Matisse, of course, was a towering figure whose influence extended across generations of artists. Landfield positions himself within this lineage, while at the same time forging his own distinctive path. Looking closely at the painting, you might ask what the relationship is between artistic innovation and institutional recognition. In the archives of art magazines, exhibition catalogues, and critical reviews of the period, you can find evidence of how artists like Landfield negotiated the complex dynamics of the art world.