LArbre de Vie (1949), Vatican museum Henri Matisse (1869-1954)

The image displays two tall, narrow panels, each topped with a rounded yellow section that resembles a halo or a sun. The main bodies of the panels are filled with a repeating pattern of stylized floral elements. Dark blue leaf-like shapes are interspersed with bright yellow, branching motifs that evoke coral or small trees. These elements are set against a vibrant green background with subtle vertical stripes, which are particularly noticeable in the spaces between the blue shapes. The two panels are nearly identical in design, suggesting they are a diptych or part of a larger decorative scheme.
The title LArbre de Vie (The Tree of Life) and its location in the Vatican Museum strongly suggest religious or spiritual subtexts. The tree of life is a common motif in many religions and mythologies, symbolizing immortality, fertility, connection between heaven and earth, and eternal life. The yellow, halo-like tops could represent divine light or a sacred space. The abundance of stylized natural forms – leaves, branches – points to themes of growth, creation, and the vitality of life, possibly in a paradisiacal or divinely ordered context. The bold, saturated colors and simplified forms are characteristic of Henri Matisses late-period style, which often aimed for an expressive harmony of color and form, and in this case, likely intended to create a sense of serenity and spiritual uplift within the sacred space of the Vatican.