Lorette in a Green Robe against a Black Background 1916

Henri Matisse painted this portrait of Lorette in a Green Robe against a Black Background with oil on canvas, but when? The date's unknown! And isn’t it interesting to think that something so bold and colourful can be shrouded in mystery? I’m struck by the way Matisse lays down the paint, especially in that bright green robe. It's thick, almost sculptural, but still fluid, like he's wrestling with the material, trying to pin down its unruly energy. Look at the way he defines the folds and shadows, not with fussy detail, but with these broad, confident strokes. Each mark feels like a decision, a record of his thought process. And it's not just about the green – see how he uses pink to create a kind of halo effect around the sitter? Matisse was always pushing boundaries and exploring new ways of seeing. He reminds me a bit of Philip Guston, another artist who embraced the messiness and imperfection of paint. Ultimately, this painting is an invitation to slow down, to look closely, and to appreciate the beauty of ambiguity.