Me, Myself & Stendhal Vase of Tulips 1914

Henri Matisse made this painting of tulips in a vase with oil paint. It's all about those luscious colors, right? A red there, a yellow there – laid down so directly and simply. You can tell that the process of making the painting was a real joy for him, like he was just playing with the paint. Looking at this painting, what grabs me is the vase. It's got this wild, swirly pattern, and you can see how the brushstrokes follow the shape, almost like he's turning the vase as he paints. The paint is thick in some spots, thin in others. Those dark, swirling strokes on the vase create a real sense of depth, like you could reach into it. Matisse is like this bridge to so many artists who came after him, like Elizabeth Murray, with her own wild color combinations, or maybe even someone like Bob Thompson, who also used simplified forms, flat planes, and a similar intensity. For Matisse, it's clear that art is about keeping the conversation going, playing with ideas, and leaving room for your own spin on things.