Antibes 1908

Matisse painted this picture, using oil on canvas, of a woman at Antibes at some point in his career. Look at how he builds form with pure colour. It’s a kind of tiling, a mosaic of brushstrokes. He’s almost knitting the figure into existence. The brushwork is all about leaving a visible trace. You can see how the paint is applied, stroke by stroke, each one a little decision. He uses a really light palette, mostly blues, pinks, and off-whites. The paint isn't too thick but the gestures are loaded with visual information. Notice the way he scumbles blues and greens around the hem of the woman's white dress, little jabs and flicks. Matisse had a really long career, and it’s funny to see him working a bit like Bonnard here. It feels like a conversation across time. Painting is always a kind of puzzle, and the best paintings are the ones that keep some things secret.