Untitled 

This vibrant panel was created by Henri Matisse using cut-and-pasted paper. A simple pairing, but it allowed him to focus on the pure expression of color and form. As you can see, the material, paper, has inherent qualities: flatness, a crisp edge when cut, and of course, color. Matisse exploited these in his late work to create compositions with deceptive simplicity. It's important to understand the intense labor that went into this process. The papers were painted with gouache, a matte watercolor, which Matisse then cut into shapes. This was a technique he developed when he was bedridden, a way to sculpt with color while conserving his energy. The collage elements allowed him to arrange and rearrange, like a dressmaker pinning fabric onto a mannequin. In the end, the work testifies to the basic artistic impulse: to bring form and color into harmonious balance, blurring the lines between painting and craft.