Girl in White Robe Seated by the Window 1942

Henri Matisse made *Girl in White Robe Seated by the Window* with oils on canvas, and it looks like the paint is applied thinly, in washes. Just imagine Matisse in front of his canvas, searching for the right way to capture the light and shadow of the scene. I sympathize with the artist trying to capture the interior light. I wonder what he was thinking as he built up those layers of blues and reds that make up the composition. Look at the vertical strokes defining the column of light! It’s like he’s building the structure from pure color. The painting is full of feeling! It reminds me of his series of paintings of women in interiors where he explores the interplay between figure and ground. Matisse and other artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. The way he uses color feels so open. It's embodied expression that allows multiple interpretations.