Paysage de Collioure 1905

Henri Matisse made this watercolor, Paysage de Collioure, with what looks like big, juicy strokes, where the making of the painting seems as important as whatever it is depicting. I love the way that Matisse uses these transparent washes, barely touching the paper. Look at the way he lays down the blues and yellows, letting them mix right there on the surface to create a sense of light and air. There’s a real freedom in the brushwork, especially in the little figure in the foreground, just a few quick strokes of red that somehow convey movement and presence. It’s almost like he’s saying, “This is how I see the world, not as a fixed thing but as something constantly in motion.” The energy in this piece reminds me of some of Joan Mitchell’s landscapes, where color and gesture take precedence over representation. Both artists create a sense of place that feels deeply personal and intuitive, more about feeling than seeing. And that’s what makes art so exciting—it’s an invitation to see the world in new and unexpected ways.