The King's Sadness 1952

Henri Matisse made this paper cut-out collage, The King's Sadness, late in life. Can you imagine Matisse, scissors in hand, cutting into vibrant sheets of color? There’s a rhythm here, a dance of shapes. Look at that figure with the guitar, flowers scattered on its form, and the way the hands reach out, almost floating. What kind of tune might he be playing? And why is he so sad? I wonder what Matisse was thinking, snipping away, arranging and rearranging these forms. The black feels heavy, solid, while the greens and yellows offer a sense of life, of growth. Those leaf shapes falling around the figure— are they tears, or just leaves? He has such an amazing fluidity of composition, and in a funny way, it makes me think of Guston's late work. Ultimately, this piece reminds me that painting, or even cutting, is a conversation across time. We're all inspired by each other, borrowing ideas, and finding our own way to express the messy, beautiful experience of being alive.