Three Bathers 1907

Henri Matisse made 'Three Bathers' with oil on canvas, we're not sure exactly when. It's really something, right? Look at the black lines around the figures. They don't blend, they just ARE, bold and sure. This is Matisse making a decision with every stroke, every choice visible. The colors are like a summer afternoon, kinda hazy and warm. The paint itself is smooth, not too thick, letting the colors glow. Check out the woman in the middle, standing tall. Her outline is almost playful, like Matisse is drawing with paint. It's confident and awkward, all at once, just like real life. The shapes bump into each other, colors vibrating with energy. It's not about perfection, it's about feeling. Matisse reminds me of Arthur Dove, with his love of simplified forms and pure color. They both understood that painting isn't about copying reality, it's about making a new one.