Paysage, St. Tropez c. 1904

Henri Matisse made this painting of a landscape in St. Tropez with oils. The way he attacks the canvas, it feels like a dance, with these rhythmic marks and a palette that's somehow both muted and vibrant at the same time. Looking at the hillside, you can almost feel the sun baking the earth. The paint is applied thinly in layers, with visible strokes that create texture and depth. Check out the little dashes of orange and green – they're like musical notes, creating a visual rhythm that pulls you in. I love how the sketchy underdrawing remains visible, reminding you that this is a constructed reality, not just a snapshot. It’s like he’s saying, "Here's what I saw, but also, here's how I saw it." Matisse is the master of showing us how to really see, and how painting is an act of discovery. Think about Cézanne, who had a similar way of abstracting the landscape. It's like they're both inviting us to join the conversation, to bring our own eyes and hearts to the table.