Brown Eyes 1918

Henri Matisse created this work, Brown Eyes, using oil paint on canvas. The visible brushstrokes, applied in loose, broad strokes, speak to a direct engagement with the material. There's an apparent lack of refinement in the blending of colors, and the overall form suggests a rapid execution. Matisse captures an immediacy in this portrait through the materiality of the paint. He allows the qualities of his chosen medium to shine through. It is a far cry from earlier artists who attempted to blend the paint to remove all traces of the hand. Instead, Matisse makes no attempt to disguise the fact that the image is a surface covered in viscous pigment spread with the aid of hog bristle brushes. The focus on the material and the process invites us to rethink the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft. The painting's value arises not only from its aesthetic qualities but also from the labor and skill invested in its creation.