Parade, Platanes 1917

Curator: What strikes me first is how calming it is. The palette feels very soft, muted—almost like a watercolor even though it’s oil. Editor: Today, we’re examining "Parade, Platanes" an oil painting by Henri Matisse, completed in 1917. The scene depicts a cityscape with a bridge as its focal point. It is currently held in a private collection. Curator: Yes, the bridge! Look at the rhythmic repetition of the arches and how they’re mirrored in the water below. It creates a lovely sense of harmony. Editor: Considering its creation during the First World War, this visual harmony offers a poignant counterpoint to the era’s turmoil. What could this mean, given that it does resemble Impressionism in some stylistic choices? Curator: Well, the brushstrokes are loose and visible. Matisse focuses on capturing the fleeting qualities of light, especially as it glances on the river’s surface. He is also clearly more invested in surface rather than any attempt at a clear perspective—see the plane trees up front! The painting foregrounds visual sensation, but is not committed to photorealism. Editor: Perhaps. However, Matisse could have chosen a war scene, but instead, depicts everyday life during wartime. The presence of human figures on the path evokes ideas about resilience and finding beauty during difficult times, but what could that reflection underneath the bridge signify? Curator: Intricate, that much is certain. Editor: I agree that it complicates my view of Impressionism! These stylistic tensions perhaps illustrate the multifaceted and contradictory social and political position artists have held, during a period of conflict and anxiety. Curator: I had missed the somber undertones on my first impression. In any event, analyzing “Parade, Platanes” through these perspectives certainly enriches one's appreciation of its form and social underpinnings. Editor: Yes, it does, for the beauty within the familiar offers enduring comfort and the motivation to persevere, even when all seems lost.