“The Young Sailor II” is an artwork by Henri Matisse, completed in 1906. This oil on canvas painting belongs to the Expressionist movement, and it measures 100 by 81 centimeters. A portrait by genre, this artwork is currently housed in a private collection.
The artwork depicts a young man seated on a chair, with his legs crossed and hands resting upon his thighs. The figure occupies the majority of the canvas, dressed in a dark sailor’s jumper with a distinctive white stripe around the collar and cuffs. His cap is also dark, tilted on his head, giving him a casual, yet intense appearance. The sailor’s face is rendered with bold, simplified shapes and colors that convey character rather than precise anatomical detail, a hallmark of Matisse’s expressionistic style. The background and the seat of the chair are executed in loose brushstrokes of a soft pink hue that contrasts with the dark colors of the sailor’s clothes, bringing the figure further to the forefront. His facial features, particularly the eyes, appear asymmetrical and are painted with greens, pinks, and yellow, adding to the painting’s expressive quality. The work exudes a sense of confidence and vitality reflective of Matisse’s innovative approach to color and form.
