matisse (9) Henri Matisse (1869-1954)
Henri Matisse – matisse (9)
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Painter: Henri Matisse
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Shchukin, a well-known collector in the last century, knew Matisse well. In 1908 he decided to decorate his mansion in Moscow in a special way and invited the artist to paint two panels for the house. It was necessary with the help of allegory to depict such important arts as music and dance. The artist created paired panels. The themes were close to the master of the house, as his house quite often gave concerts. Before sending the work to Russia, they were exhibited at the "Autumn Salon" in Paris in 1910.
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Description of the painting "Music" by Henri Matisse
Shchukin, a well-known collector in the last century, knew Matisse well. In 1908 he decided to decorate his mansion in Moscow in a special way and invited the artist to paint two panels for the house.
It was necessary with the help of allegory to depict such important arts as music and dance. The artist created paired panels. The themes were close to the master of the house, as his house quite often gave concerts.
Before sending the work to Russia, they were exhibited at the "Autumn Salon" in Paris in 1910. Such an unusual work of the artist caused a real scandal. The naked characters and the unexpected vision of the theme surprised everyone. Shchukin initially decided to abandon these works, but then changed his mind.
In the process of working on the figures of men, the artist sought to make them as simplified as possible. All the heroes are intentionally deprived of individuality. Their facial features are almost identical, and the same can be said about their physique. This was necessary in order to allow the viewer to perceive the image as a whole.
The artist sought to achieve harmony of color. Matisse emphasized contrast. That is why he painted the characters in red. In order to balance the image, painters used blue and green colors. The background hardly plays any role, so it is as simplified as possible.
In front of us appears five heroes. Two of them are playing and three are singing. Matisse reproduced the pose of the violinist as clearly as possible, as he himself was a virtuoso musician. The men on this panel seem to be numb. The silhouettes are painted with deliberately elastic lines to give the canvas a particular musical rhythm.
Matisse was looking for an ideal compositional solution for a very long time. The scene was rewritten by him several times.
Some researchers believe that the figures on the right resemble notes, and the violinist may be a symbol of the treble clef.
The canvas is characterized by a fresh range of colors. The characters are static and completely isolated from others. They are immersed as much as possible in the music.
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Five individuals are depicted in various poses. One figure stands on the left, engaged in playing a stringed instrument; their posture is elongated and somewhat rigid. Another sits cross-legged, holding a wind instrument to their lips. The remaining three figures occupy an elevated plane, seated or crouching with expressions that appear detached or contemplative. Their bodies are rendered with simplified forms, emphasizing volume through broad planes of color rather than detailed anatomical representation.
The artist’s use of bold outlines and flattened perspective contributes to the works dreamlike quality. There is a deliberate lack of naturalism; the figures seem less like portraits and more like archetypes or symbols. The absence of individualized features further reinforces this sense of universality.
Subtextually, the painting evokes themes of ritual and introspection. The musical instruments suggest an element of performance or ceremony, while the figures’ postures and expressions convey a mood of quiet contemplation. The stark color contrast and simplified forms could be interpreted as representing a distillation of human experience to its most essential elements. The landscape itself appears less like a natural setting and more like a stage upon which these symbolic actions unfold. It is possible that the work explores ideas about community, performance, or the relationship between humanity and nature, albeit in an abstract and non-narrative manner.