View of Saint Tropez 1904

Editor: So, here we have Matisse's "View of Saint Tropez," painted in 1904. It’s oil on canvas, and it strikes me as…almost vibrating with color. I’m curious about your thoughts on this piece. What do you see in this work? Curator: The intensity is a product of its materiality. Think about the oil paint itself: industrially produced pigments, combined with oil, likely linseed. This allows for those almost pure strokes of color. Consider also the implications of plein-air painting – painting outdoors. What does it mean to depict leisure, and landscape, given the emerging industrialised landscape of the early 20th century? Editor: That's interesting. So you're saying the context of industrialization, even though it's not directly shown, is important? The materiality emphasizes the modern manufacture of these colours for artistic expression? Curator: Precisely. Look at the facture, the application of paint. Notice how the brushstrokes themselves become almost like individual objects. We're seeing a shift in the artist’s labor— it's no longer about concealing the work, but rather exposing it. Does that remind you of any movements arising at the time? Editor: Well, thinking about the brushstrokes and the bold colour...it's giving me strong hints of Fauvism and even a touch of early Expressionism. Curator: And what’s significant about those movements in terms of materials and processes? Editor: They broke from academic traditions, emphasizing the artist's subjective expression using…accessible paints! It democratizes art-making in a way. Curator: Exactly! And think of how the increasing availability of new pigments affected art, impacting labour, aesthetics, and consumption itself. That little tube of paint represents a whole socio-economic shift. Editor: That really changes how I view the painting. It's not just a pretty picture, it's evidence of the changing modes of artistic production. Curator: Indeed! It reminds us that even something as seemingly simple as landscape can reveal profound changes in material culture.