Still Life with a Marble Table 1941

Henri Matisse made this still life of everyday objects on a marble table, and the first thing that grabs me is the interplay of colours and how each object seems to float, yet also have a definite presence. There’s a real sense of immediacy in this piece. You can see the marks of the artist’s hand – the way the colours are laid down so frankly, the slight awkwardness of the forms. It is almost as though Matisse is saying that the process of painting is just as important as the final image. I particularly love how Matisse depicts the tablecloth. It’s this flurry of blue, white, and gray squiggles that act as a backdrop, but also has a life of its own. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s chaotic energy. There’s a real sense of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world in a new way. It is as if Matisse is inviting us to embrace ambiguity and find beauty in the simplest of things.