Physical description

MEDIUM: Acrylic on canvas.

DESCRIPTION: Blue and black, no external frame.
A figurative nude, the close up takes most of the canvas. It sits on a dark background in undefined surroundings. The blue woman sits flat as many of Matisse’s works do, favouring this style over the illusionistic depth to achieve his aim, here we see this replicated. Matisse is also noted for his use of colour as a means of expression rather than description. Here we have a woman painted all in blue, with this knowledge we could say the artist has painted his subject as someone who has been captured in a very relaxed, very calm version of herself, an ocean onto herself, mysterious and captivating in this moment. Her arm slung confidently above and around her head, her view directly facing the viewer provocatively. The only other colour on her other than the thick black lines which outline and shadow her contours, is the circular red of her earring -mirroring the generous sweeping curves of the work. The presence of visible brushstrokes produces a sense of movement and energy as well as providing a decorative quality to the painting.

Inscriptions & markings

Signed and dated on bottom proper left of center of image (on reverse of canvas).