Standing Nude With Raised Arms 1947

Henri Matisse made this painting, Standing Nude With Raised Arms, sometime in his career, and it's a marvel of economy and grace, really! Look at how he suggests form with just a few strokes of warm red against a muted ground. I can almost feel what it was like to be Matisse, brush in hand, squinting at his model, trying to capture the essence of her pose. He doesn't fuss over details; instead, he focuses on the overall impression, the feeling of movement and light. The paint looks like it has been applied thinly, allowing the texture of the canvas to show through. That quick gesture of the figure's arms communicates a sense of ease and self-possession. Matisse clearly loved Bonnard and others, just as painters love each other through time. Paintings like this are an ongoing conversation, a shared language of form and color. I think it's beautiful. I am just glad to be part of it.