Pink Shrimp 1921

Matisse made this painting of pink shrimp with oil on canvas, although when exactly remains something of a mystery. It's a study in how a few brushstrokes can suggest so much. Look at the shrimp themselves; they're not precise, but their placement and color make them jump out. It's like Matisse is reminding us that painting isn't about copying reality, it's about creating a new one. The texture seems smooth, with gentle gradations of color. It’s all fairly representational, but there is a freedom in the brushwork that is echoed in the almost casual composition. He wasn't interested in photographic perfection. Matisse’s attitude is very similar to that of Morandi in his still-life work, where it is never about the depicted object, but about the colour, and composition of the painting itself. Like them, his art nudges us to see the world, and artmaking, with a fresh pair of eyes.