Two Girls 1941

Matisse made this painting, Two Girls, using oil on canvas. It's a feast of colour and a display of the artist’s love of flat patterns and decorative forms. Look at the way Matisse used these vibrant blocks of colour and bold outlines; they are almost playful. The way he's painted that yellow dress, you know, it’s not just yellow, it has a whole spectrum of yellows and oranges, pinks, coming together in brushstrokes. It is like he is painting a feeling more than just a dress. And that red background. It is like an emotional wall, full of creative energy. I can imagine Matisse moving around this canvas, trying different things out, probably feeling his way through, intuitively laying down these lines and colours. Each choice is almost like a note in a visual song. It’s like he is asking, how can I make this painting sing? How can I share my love of the world? Painting is about sharing, and that is what Matisse does so well. He is a reminder that art is a conversation across time.