The Snail 1953

Henri Matisse made this large-scale cut-out, The Snail, at the end of his life, but I can see so much life and energy bursting from the forms and colors. Imagine him in his studio, snipping into paper, making shapes and letting them land where they may—that’s how the painting comes into being. I can see the artist's hand in the making, the trace of his movement, building up the composition through trial and error. The textures are subtle but effective, like the contrast between the smooth color and the rougher paper edges. What I love about these shapes is their ambiguity. They are suggestive forms, implying both organic and abstract elements, which invites the viewer to find their own associations. It's an interesting dialogue—Matisse riffing on his past work and influencing future artists with this playful, experimental piece.