Nude with Blue Necklace 1936

Henri Matisse made this painting, entitled Nude with Blue Necklace, in 1936. Matisse lived and worked in a period where the female nude had become a central, and often problematic, theme in modern art. Here, we see a figure who defies traditional ideals of beauty. Her body, rendered with bold outlines and unconventional coloring, challenges the male gaze that often dominated depictions of women. Consider how Matisse uses color and form to convey a sense of the model's presence and personality rather than simply portraying her as an object of desire. "I don't paint things," Matisse once said. "I only paint the difference between things." The blue necklace and yellow bracelet suggest a sense of self-adornment and individuality. The woman's gaze is indirect. This allows the viewer to consider the painting as a statement about female subjectivity and empowerment. What might it mean for an artist to represent a nude figure with such agency and self-possession? How does it shape our understanding of beauty, identity, and representation?