Odalisque 1923

Matisse made this Odalisque with oil paints, maybe thinking about the tradition of nudes, but certainly thinking about colour. You can see it in the way he's put down the yellow of her robe, or the blue of her hair scarf. It's not about blending, it's about placing colours together and letting them sing. Up close, the way he’s applied paint is really direct. It’s as if he's figuring out the space, and the figure, as he goes. The colours are warm, but they also feel flat, which pushes the figure forward, against the background. Then there's that single stroke of dark paint marking her bellybutton, so simple, but it brings her to life. Matisse had a long career, and the bright palette and bold approach to form here feels connected to some of his later paper cut-outs. There is also a dialogue with earlier artists like Delacroix. It's like he's in this conversation, asking questions about what painting can do. It’s never about answers, it’s about keeping the conversation going.