Still Life with Asphodels 1907

Editor: This is Henri Matisse's "Still Life with Asphodels," painted in 1907. I'm struck by the boldness of the colours. The juxtaposition of that almost aggressively pink backdrop with the earthiness of the objects on the table creates such an odd harmony. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, it sings to me of contrasts! The colours, yes, almost clashing, but somehow finding a voice together. Then you notice how solid that jug of asphodels feels versus the airy, almost whimsical, suggestion of the blooms. I sense Matisse wrestling with the eternal dilemma: how do you capture the ephemeral and ground it in something real, something tangible? What about that striking palette – does that resonate with you in relation to other art you’ve seen? Editor: It does make me think of some of his other works and how he was clearly developing his bold use of colour here, not quite as liberated as in some later pieces, perhaps a little tentative still. Curator: "Tentative" is interesting. Perhaps not tentative, but rather, perhaps he is savouring the push and pull? The vibrant colours seem almost desperate to escape, whilst also anchoring themselves to tradition in this recognisable genre. Look how he employs impasto to bring tactility, that raw textural element, but then he throws in orientalist elements with the fan and ceramics! Do you think he might be playing with his influences, declaring them, yet pulling them apart? Editor: I hadn't thought about it like that before. It's almost as if he's having a conversation with all these different styles at once. Curator: Precisely! The more I ponder it, the more I recognise his own personal and unique touch to make the scene into a reflection of himself. And isn't that what art is really about – finding yourself staring back? Editor: Definitely something to think about. I guess I always assumed ‘still life’ meant…still. But actually, this feels so alive. Curator: It really buzzes doesn’t it? It’s almost like it’s not a record of observation but more a mirror of an encounter. Fascinating.