Three Sisters with an African Sculpture 1917

Henri Matisse made this painting, Three Sisters with an African Sculpture, sometime in the early 20th century with oil on canvas. It's a fascinating game of colour and pattern, where the process feels really upfront – nothing is hidden. You can almost feel Matisse prodding and pushing the paint around. Look at the thick, almost juicy brushstrokes that define the green robe, versus the thin, translucent washes that make up the background. The way the colours bleed into each other, like in the ochre-coloured floor, creates this amazing sense of depth and atmosphere. Then, there's the African sculpture perched atop the fireplace: a dark, almost ghostly form that feels both present and slightly out of reach. It's as if Matisse is saying that art isn't just about what we see, but also about how we see. Matisse and Picasso, they were always looking at each other's work, pushing each other to experiment with colour, form, and perspective. It's like a conversation, a constant back-and-forth that keeps the art world alive and kicking.