The Blue Jabot 1935

Henri Matisse made *The Blue Jabot* with paint, and I'd say, probably a brush! Just kidding... well, kind of. The way he's put it down, the confidence of the strokes, makes me think he really knew his materials. What's striking is the flatness. Everything's laid out, color next to color. No fussing. Check out that jabot, the frilly collar. Each little swirl of blue is outlined with black, a playful rhythm that keeps the eye dancing. He almost makes the jabot look like a waterfall. The way the paint sits on the canvas, thin and even, it’s like he’s not trying to hide anything. The process is right there. Matisse and Gauguin feel like cousins in their shared pursuit of raw, unadulterated expression. It’s like they’re both saying: let’s just *feel* this thing, whatever it is, and throw the rules out the window. Art isn’t about perfection; it’s about the conversation we’re having with ourselves and each other.