Henri Matisse wrote a lot about expression in his essay “Notes of a Painter.” He gave a detailed definition of his views of what expression should be. He says, “Expression for me, does not reside in passions glowing in a human face or manifested by violent movement. The entire arrangement of my picture is expressive: the place occupied by the figures, the empty spaces around them, the proportions, everything has its share.” When artists rely on expression as an outlet for passionate, strong feelings, the composition is not thought out, and the artist may look at the piece later and hate it. Matisse himself said that he would not hang his paintings on the wall if they were made in a moment of “fleeting sensation.” If he sporadically painted a picture when he was angry, he would not want to look at it once he became calm again. Matisse compares this type of painting to that of the Impressionist painters. When Matisse speaks of his earlier paintings, he says that with experience he learned that he should not stay with his first impressions, but keep working on a piece and re-work it as needed. This is something that sets him apart from the Impressionist painters, who go with their first impressions, making their paintings seem very vague. Matisse’s paintings show his state of mind, not just fleeting sensations.
Matisse also speaks of the importance of color, and compares his use of color to that of other painters. His use of color is more by instinct and the way his subjects make him feel. Other artists set store by color theory, which defines the ways that colors relate to one another and which ones look good together. A true artist knows what looks right without learning a theory. Matisse says, “my choice of color does not rest on scientific theory; it is based on observation, on sensitivity, on felt experiences.” Color theory limits what an artist can do with his art, and it should not be absolute. Matisse describes how covers a canvas with different colors according to what satisfied his eye. Each color that is placed on the canvas effects the other colors and changes one’s perception of them. “It is necessary that the various marks I use be balanced so that they do not destroy each other.” Matisse had a very firm grasp on his color use. He could put red, green, and yellow together without hurting his composition and destroying the colors. Matisse follows the classic Fauve tendency, attempting to free color from its role solely as a descriptive part of a painting, and using it to convey meaning instead.
Just as Matisse is so interested in expression and a free use of color, he also does not like to be limited to still life or landscape. He is interested in the human figure, which shows more life in its movement and lets him express his awe towards life. With the human figure, there are endless possibilities in portraying a model’s expressions, muscle tensions, and even the way he paints the composition. When painting a woman, he says that he can display her beauty and grace, then if he looks more closely and removes himself from the literal representation, he finds a whole new level of painting that may make the figure unrecognizable at first. Matisse stresses the importance of representing nature in his work, and mentions other artists who try to do so as well. As Rodin says, “Copy nature!” Nature is free, so why should painting be any different?
0 comments:
Post a Comment