Still LIfe, “Histoires Juives” 1924

This is Henri Matisse’s still life with “Histoires Juives”, it’s hard to pin down the date but he made it with oil paint. Isn’t it something? The way Matisse builds this world with just a few confident strokes. Look at the tablecloth; it's a swirl of yellows and whites, thick impasto that feels almost edible, like buttercream frosting. And then there’s that book, “Histoires Juives”, a vibrant blue rectangle. It’s so flat, so unapologetically blue, it pops right out, anchoring the whole composition. It’s a real process, not just replication. That blue pulls you in, doesn’t it? It echoes the wallpaper behind, this riot of indigo floral shapes that both advance and recede. Matisse wasn’t afraid of dissonance; he lets these elements clash and sing together. Matisse reminds me a bit of Morandi, in that he can take something so simple and everyday and transform it into something profound. It’s this reminder that art isn’t about answering questions, but about embracing the delightful mess of seeing.