Antibes 1908

Henri Matisse made "Antibes" with oil on canvas, and you can see the canvas peeking through the paint! This work feels so light and airy, doesn't it? You can imagine him trying to catch that Mediterranean light, building the image through layers of translucent color. He starts with thin washes, and then he adds those juicy, vibrant strokes—see how the blues and purples melt into the white of her dress? I’m thinking about Matisse sitting in front of his subject, just trying to capture that feeling of being there. Painting's always about trying and failing, right? It's in that process that something special can emerge. You can see how the canvas shines through. The paint isn't thick or overworked. There's a freshness to it. Matisse was always in conversation with other artists. They all inspire each other. Every painting is part of an ongoing exploration, where artists teach each other how to see and how to feel.