The artwork titled “Port De Marseille,” created by the renowned artist Henri Matisse in 1917, belongs to the cityscape genre. Reflecting the stylistic attributes of the period and the artist’s personal interpretation of the subject, the artwork depicts a vibrant scene of the bustling port of Marseille.
The artwork itself portrays a lively and somewhat abstract representation of the port. Bold, expressive brushstrokes and a vivid color palette characterize the painting, which is typical of Matisse’s style. The composition predominantly features buildings, boats, and water. The sky is rendered in a light blue, contrasting with the darker tones of the water. Buildings with varying shades of orange, white, and blue line the background, imparting a sense of depth and structure to the scene.
A boat occupies the foreground, its hull painted in segments of blue, white, and black, with a touch of red at the waterline. Reflections on the water are depicted with shorter, brisk strokes of white and blue, suggesting the gentle movement of the sea. The masts of the ships rise into the sky, their slender, vertical lines juxtaposing with the horizontal layering of the sea and the architecture beyond. Matisse’s signature, located towards the bottom right of the painting, adds a personal touch to the scene, ensuring that while the place might be familiar, the perspective is uniquely his own.
