Le Luxe (I) 1907

Henri Matisse painted Le Luxe (I) with oil on canvas, and looking at the brushwork I can almost feel the give and take of the artist's hand. The painting seems to be unfolding, layer by layer, as it came into being. I can imagine Matisse wrestling with it, adding those beautiful blues and ochres, one mark leading to another, as if feeling his way through the canvas. The colour palette is somewhat muted but also alive with subtle undertones. Those figures could be any of us, really. Caught in a moment of contemplation. Maybe he was thinking about the old masters, but giving it his own fresh spin. I love how the standing figure grounds the painting, her dark outline a foil to the lightness of the crouched bather. This work resonates with artists like Gauguin, who was equally interested in the figure. But in Matisse, it feels more intimate. More sensual. It's a reminder that painting is about having a conversation, an invitation to reconsider what we think we know.