Two Peaches 1920

Matisse painted this still life, "Two Peaches," sometime in his career, using oil on canvas to capture a simple yet vibrant scene. Look at the table cloth and the way the light hits each peach, each one has a sort of halo of colour, a burst of light. You can see the brushstrokes, thick and juicy, especially in the highlights on the peaches, or in the leafy greens. This kind of visible brushwork it's like seeing the artist's hand at work, not trying to hide anything, but making the process part of the experience. The colours feel warm and inviting, a little like a summer afternoon. It reminds me of Cezanne, especially the way he builds up form with colour. It's like they're both having a conversation about how to see the world, one brushstroke at a time. Art, it’s never really about answers, more about keeping the conversation going.