The artwork “Portrait of Mme. Matisse” was created by Henri Matisse in 1913. This portrait, which is an exemplification of the Cubist art movement, depicts Mme. Matisse. The genre of the artwork is a portrait, and it currently resides in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Cubist influence is evident in the treatment of form and the use of bold color.
In the artwork, Matisse presents the subject seated against a backdrop that merges harmoniously with the color scheme of the portrait. The figure of Mme. Matisse is stylized with the use of geometric simplification, a typical feature of Cubism, which breaks away from traditional perspectives. While the dominant colors are shades of blue and green, punctuating the composition are striking elements of contrast, such as the vibrant orange streak that runs along her right arm, contributing to the overall dynamic quality of the portrait.
The facial features of Mme. Matisse are rendered with a degree of abstraction, with her eyes simplistically depicted and her countenance capturing a demure and introspective expression. The hat atop her head is adorned with an intricate design, adding a decorative flourish to the restrained color palette. The artist’s use of flattened planes and reductive contours to convey the three-dimensional form captures the essence of Cubism, which seeks to portray subjects from multiple viewpoints simultaneously.
Matisse’s artistry here is not just in the portrayal of his subject but also in the balance of color, line, and shape which reveals his exploration into the avant-garde approaches of the period, showcasing his unique interpretation of modernist aesthetics.
