Vase of Flowers 1924

Henri Matisse made this painting of flowers in a vase, surrounded by pattern, pattern, pattern! Imagine Matisse, his head swimming with colour, trying to capture the light, the domestic, the pleasure of being in a room. The painting feels like a construction; each element laid down thoughtfully in relation to another, like setting up a jazz band. I picture him stepping back, squinting, then leaning in again to make a few more marks, trying to make all these elements sing together. He's playing with pinks, blues, greens and yellows, pushing them around until they vibrate, the overall effect a heady mix of calm and excitement. The brushwork is thick in places, thin in others, creating a surface that's alive and breathing. Matisse, like many artists, was engaged in an ongoing conversation with painting itself. He showed us how to see the world anew, not as a fixed image but as an ever-shifting, ever-surprising experience.