Collioure 1905

Henri Matisse painted "Collioure" with watercolors, and you can almost see him there, can't you, sitting by the water. It’s a lovely scene rendered with such swift, assured marks. The overall palette feels light, airy, almost like a pastel drawing, with those blues, greens, pinks, and yellows intermingling on the paper. Just imagine Matisse, out in the open air, capturing the buildings, boats, and water with such immediacy. The lines aren’t fussy, just enough to give us the gist of the scene. There's a kind of confidence here, where he isn’t afraid to let the paper breathe, letting the white space become as important as the colors themselves. The way he’s captured the water’s surface with those quick dabs and dashes, so delicate, reminds me of the Impressionists, but, you know, with that Fauvist edge. You can see him paving the way for future artists to play with the rules of colour and form. It’s all one big conversation, this painting thing!