Romanian Blouse, Red and Blue Background 1940

Henri Matisse made 'Romanian Blouse, Red and Blue Background’ with paint, and it's clear he was working something out as he went along. The red and blue are so vibrant, fighting each other for attention, while the grid behind the figure pins her down. I am drawn to the blouse: white, patterned, with these almost playful black and red marks, like she doodled on it herself. Matisse doesn't try to hide the making. The paint is flat, opaque, and you can see how he blocks in color, not caring if he goes outside the lines. Look at the zig-zag pattern on her sleeve. It’s so simple, almost childlike, yet it animates the whole arm. It seems to hint at the Fauvist movement which included artists such as Derain and Vlaminck. The Fauves shared an interest in the use of intense colour, for purely decorative and expressive purposes. It reminds us that art is not about perfection, but about exploring, experimenting, and embracing the unexpected.