Marguerite with Hat 1914

Henri Matisse made this painting of Marguerite using oil on canvas. I think what's so striking about this piece is how Matisse uses color and line to create a sense of form, but also to flatten the image. It's like he's playing with our perception, pushing and pulling us between the three-dimensional world and the two-dimensional surface of the canvas. It’s kind of like, he’s not trying to trick us or anything, but he’s also not afraid to show us the trick! Look at the black line defining the nose and other aspects of her face. It's so confident and bold, almost like a drawing, yet it's integrated into the painting in such a way that it becomes part of the overall composition. He probably labored over it. The color palette is limited, mostly greens and pinks. It has an emotional and intellectual resonance. You can really feel his conversation with other artists through time.