The Persian Robe 1940

Henri Matisse laid down this painting with visible brushstrokes and a palette of rich colours. Imagine him standing there, brush in hand, building up the image layer by layer, responding to each stroke with another. Look at the bold, energetic lines of the Persian Robe. It’s like Matisse is trying to capture a feeling, an essence, rather than just depicting what he sees. I bet he was thinking about pattern, and how to make it sing on the canvas. You can see it in the repetition of the lines and the way they create a rhythm across the figure. He’s playing with our expectations, twisting perspective and form to create something new. Matisse was always looking at other artists. It’s like we’re all in a big conversation, passing ideas back and forth across time. His painting shows us that art isn’t about perfection, it’s about expression, about the joy of creating and sharing a unique vision with the world.