Child With Headdress 1972

Norval Morrisseau painted “Child With Headdress” with bold, graphic shapes and bright colours. Imagine him, brush in hand, leaning into the canvas, building up the image bit by bit. It feels like each colour block locks into place, defining the form and the feeling. You know, when I look at it, I think about stained glass—the way the colours are separated by those thick, dark lines. The headdress itself is a mosaic of reds, blues, oranges, greens, and purples, and there’s something playful and celebratory about it. The golden background makes everything glow, like it's lit from within, and that piercing yellow eye stares right through you! Morrisseau’s work is so unique, but you can see echoes of other artists who weren't afraid to use strong lines and flat planes of colour. It makes you think about how artists are always talking to each other across time, riffing on ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what painting can do.