Étretat Interior 1920

Henri Matisse painted Étretat Interior with oil on canvas at a time when French artists were reckoning with the rapid industrialization of their country. On the surface, this painting seems simply to depict an interior scene of a woman sleeping peacefully in a blue room, but beyond the window, there's a slice of a seascape with boats bobbing on the waves. As such it offers a glimpse of the burgeoning tourism industry. Matisse, along with other painters, began to see the French landscape as a place of leisure, a retreat from the urban squalor of modern cities. These artists were supported by art dealers who catered to the tastes of wealthy patrons eager to see idyllic scenes that romanticized a rural way of life. The image subtly critiques the institutions of art by presenting it as a commodity for the upper classes. Historians consult exhibition catalogues, dealers’ records, and personal correspondence to understand the social and economic conditions in which artists like Matisse were working. In this way, we can appreciate how art and social structures reflect one another.