Young Women in the Garden 1919

Matisse made this painting, Young Women in the Garden, with oil on canvas. I love how Matisse simplifies what he sees, getting right to the nitty-gritty of painting as a process. Look at the rug, it's not just a rug, it's a field of pattern and color, thick with red, brown, and geometric shapes. The paint is applied with a kind of joyful abandon, each stroke visible and distinct. The girl reclining is painted with a similar directness, her white dress almost sculptural in its simplicity. The thick paint handles the light in a tangible way. It's like a conversation between the artist and the canvas, each mark a response to the one before. This reminds me of how Bonnard created his domestic scenes, but with a more decorative impulse. For Matisse, painting isn't about capturing reality, but about creating a new one, brimming with feeling and visual energy.