Woman with an Exotic Plant c. 1925

Henri Matisse made this painting of a 'Woman with an Exotic Plant' with soft pastels on paper. I can imagine Matisse building up the image through a process of layering and blending. See how the pastels create a velvety surface, a kind of dream space. There is a sense of the exotic in the title, but also in the colour and surface. I bet he felt a deep connection to other painters while making this work, especially those interested in color and pattern like Bonnard. Look at the blue of the skirt and the patterned backdrop—it pulsates! The plant has the same energy. All these elements, exotic woman, exotic plant, all in a dance together. The pastel feels thick, but also crumbly, and is smudged across the paper. You get the sense that Matisse wasn’t too precious, but instead embraced uncertainty. It’s so clear that painting is just a conversation, an exchange of ideas. I love how painters are always in dialogue across time, inspiring each other’s creativity.