The Persian Robe 1940

Henri Matisse made ‘The Persian Robe’ with oil on canvas. The first thing that hits you is its bold, unapologetic use of color. Matisse just throws color around, right? But, like any good painter knows, it’s not just about slinging paint. It's about that delicious tension between control and letting go. Look at the red robe, with its sinuous black stripes, they almost vibrate against the green of the woman’s skirt. You can see the brushstrokes, each one a confident, deliberate mark. The paint is applied thinly in layers, creating a luminous surface, with a nice balance. Matisse reminds me of Bonnard, another master of color, but where Bonnard is all about atmosphere and mood, Matisse is more interested in pure visual sensation, in the sheer joy of seeing. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas across time.