Still Life with a Red Rug 1906

Henri Matisse made this painting, Still Life with a Red Rug, with oil on canvas. He's really pushing and pulling the picture plane, isn't he? There's a dynamic use of color that feels immediate. Look at the way that red rug just vibrates with energy, like a hot, buzzing surface. Then there’s that watermelon. It's the only rounded form in the picture. Everything else is sharp. It's like it's breathing, and ready to roll off the table. The color palette is bold and bright, and the paint is applied with a kind of joyful looseness. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the canvas. It's very process-oriented, very much about the act of painting. Matisse’s work always reminds me of Bonnard, someone else who was totally committed to the pleasure of looking. And like Bonnard, Matisse invites us to see the world anew, with fresh eyes and an open heart. Ultimately, what makes art great is its ability to embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations.