Madame Matisse, The Red Madras Headdress 1907

Matisse painted this portrait of his wife, Amélie, with oils on canvas, and I bet he found himself getting lost in the process, just like I do. The painting feels like a dance between intention and accident. Look at those broad, flat planes of color—especially the bold reds and blues. Can’t you just imagine Matisse, brush in hand, trying to capture something essential about Amélie, about their life together? The marks are so direct, so unapologetic. I feel his presence, his energy. He doesn't fuss too much with the details, but allows the shapes and colors to speak for themselves. I wonder what it was like for Amélie to sit for him, to be seen and interpreted through his eyes. It reminds me how painting is a conversation, a collaboration between artist and subject, each influencing the other in subtle, profound ways. And how the conversation keeps going as we, the viewers, bring our own experiences to the mix. We keep his conversation with his wife alive.