The above image is Henri Matisse's painting "The Dessert", also known as "Arrangement in Red." It couldn't really be mistaken for the work of any other artist. His images were humble yet mythical. Things like wallpaper and China patterns, minor details in most painters' work, take on an epic scale.
He had an interesting friendship with the somewhat younger Spaniard Pablo Picasso. While Picasso was a more confrontational artist, they respected each other throughout life.
2 comments:
Our attraction to artwork always comes down to personal preference. Only ever painting objects so they look like realistic representations of themselves limits the artist's potential for free expression. A big part of being a painter is being open to possibilities, to experiment just to see where it may take one.
Although I don't personally appreciate all of his work Matisse was was definitely a leading genius. I do like this painting for the reasons you mentioned and for his magnificent use of the color red. Is the wall a slightly different shade from the table, or am I just interpreting it that way?
I think it's very true that painting/drawing things with only realism in mind would be a terribly limiting thing for an artist. The first people to figure this out may have been on the scene a long time ago indeed. There's a kind of growing sophistication in cave art, so when figures in cave paintings look crude, it may be an intentional choice. I like the qualities you bring up.
There are artists I enjoy more, but I appreciate the philosophy he brought ot his work and no one else was quite like him. This despite him having some influence on the Fauves. Good question. They might be different shades or just mixed differnetly.
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