Statuette and Vases on Oriental Carpet 1908

Henri Matisse's 1908 painting, "Statuette and Vases on Oriental Carpet," exemplifies his Fauvist style with its bold colors and simplified forms. The painting features a still life arrangement of a statuette, a green pitcher, a white and blue vase, a blue mug, and a black pipe, all set against a richly patterned red carpet. The flattened perspective and emphasis on color and pattern over realistic representation are characteristic of Matisse's early work, which sought to express the artist's emotional response to the subject matter.