Nude in White Peignoir Standing by Mirror 1937

Henri Matisse made “Nude in White Peignoir Standing by Mirror” with oil on canvas, and it's all about how the paint moves and breathes. The colour palette is not quite naturalistic and almost fauvist, the painting revels in the potential of mark-making as an active process. There's a directness that I really admire in the application of paint. You can almost see Matisse figuring things out as he goes along. I love the way he renders the mirror image. It’s not about perfect representation. It’s more about capturing the essence of light and reflection, about the interaction of forms and colours. Notice, for example, the way the green foliage is used to create depth and space in the composition. It’s just a few strokes, but they carry so much weight. Matisse had a real knack for making paintings that felt fresh and alive. You might want to check out some work by Bonnard, who had a similar approach to colour and light. Art is just a conversation, a call and response across generations. The beauty is it's all open to interpretation.