Two Girls in a Yellow and Red Interior 1947

Henri Matisse created this painting, ‘Two Girls in a Yellow and Red Interior’ with oil on canvas. Matisse, a leading figure in the Fauvist movement in France, challenges traditional academic painting, particularly in its approach to perspective. The vibrant colours and simplified forms offer insight into the social context of early 20th-century art. Fauvism emerged in a period of rapid social and technological change and artists like Matisse were questioning established norms, which had been promoted by institutions like the École des Beaux-Arts. The flattening of space and emphasis on bold colour could be seen as a rejection of bourgeois values. By exploring archival materials we can better understand the avant-garde movements and how artists redefined the role of art in a changing society. Through his innovative techniques, Matisse challenged viewers to reconsider their expectations of representation.