Deux Jeune Filles 1947

Henri Matisse made "Deux Jeune Filles," painting two young girls with oil on canvas. Look at the immediacy of the mark making, you get a sense of the sheer joy Matisse found in the painting process. The surface has a beautiful texture, not overworked but direct, and the colours are both harmonious and unexpected. The yellow wall contrasts with the blues of the background outside the window to create a sense of depth. Take a look at the foliage and the shapes in the open book – the forms are simplified to near abstraction. This doesn't feel like a painting about visual accuracy, but something more emotional. Matisse is often compared to painters like Bonnard. Both shared an interest in depicting intimate domestic spaces, with the effect of imbuing the everyday with beauty. Art isn't about answers, but about keeping the conversation going.