Vase d’anémones 1946

Henri Matisse made "Vase d’anémones" with oils, probably in his studio in Nice. It’s a very straightforward painting: a vase of flowers, a couple of oranges, all on a yellow table. The color palette is vibrant and playful. See how he’s applied such visible brushstrokes with lavender, yellow, and green. The purple background really makes the colorful flowers pop. I wonder, what was Matisse thinking when he painted this? I imagine him wanting to capture the beauty and liveliness of simple things, and doing it quickly, so he could move on. He probably didn't want to fuss over tiny details. I can almost feel the gesture of the paintbrush, that spontaneous energy. Matisse’s works make me think about the way painters are always chatting with each other, across time and space. His flat colorful style reminds me of earlier artists like Manet, but also later painters like David Hockney. Painting is a conversation, and it’s up to us to listen.