If you're a long time blog reader, you know that I used to live just a few blocks away from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City and was a frequent visitor to its galleries. MoMA has an outstanding collection of pieces by Henri Matisse — one of my all time favorite artists. (Be sure to check out the Book Club video about the book, Matisse on Art.)
Currently, MoMA has an exhibit all about his painting, "The Red Studio."
It wasn't a painting that I was immediately drawn to. In a room full of Matisse paintings, it took me time to understand just how interesting and important this painting is. And, as it turns out, I'm not alone. This is from the MoMA website:
For many years after its creation, Henri Matisse’s The Red Studio (1911)—which depicts the artist’s work space in the Parisian suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux—was met with bafflement or indifference. Today it is known as a foundational work of modern art and a landmark in the centuries-long tradition of studio painting.
Here is a video that takes you through the painting and describes what two art curators see when they look at the work — art terminology, inspiration, choices, etc.:
This video explains why the painting is so important in art history:
And here is a video that shares insights from MoMA curators as to the process of making "The Red Studio."
Poet, W.D. Snodgrass wrote a poem about "The Red Studio." It is also called, "The Red Studio."
There is no one here.
But the objects: they are real. It is not
As if he had stepped out or moved away;
There is no other room and no
Returning. Your foot or finger would pass
Through, as into unreflecting water
Red with clay, or into fire.
Still, the objects: they are real. It is
As if he had stood
Still in the bare center of this floor,
His mind turned in in concentrated fury,
Till he sank
Like a great beast sinking into sands
Slowly, and did not look up.
His own room drank him.
What else could generate this
Terra cotta raging through the floor and walls,
Through chests, chairs, the table and the clock,
Till all environments of living are
Transformed to energy–
Crude, definitive and gay.
And so gave birth to objects that are real.
How slowly they took shape, his children, here, Grew solid and remain:
The crayons; these statues; the clear brandy bowl;
The ashtray where a girl sleeps, curling among flowers;
This flask of tall glass, green, where a vine begins
Whose vines circle the other girl brown as a cypress knee.
Then, pictures, emerging on the walls:
Bathers; a landscape; a still life with a vase;
To the left, a golden blonde, lain in magentas with flowers scattering like stars;
Opposite, top right, these terra cotta women, living, in their world of living's colors;
Between, but yearning toward them, the sailor on his red cafe chair, dark blue, self-absorbed.
These stay, exact,
Within the belly of these walls that burn,
That must hum like the domed electric web
Within which, at the carnival, small cars bump and turn,
Toward which, for strength, they reach their iron hands:
Like the heavens' walls of flame that the old magi could see;
Or those ethereal clouds of energy
From which all constellations form,
Within whose love they turn.
They stand here real and ultimate.
But there is no one here.
I said it earlier this week and I'll say it again: you are not a camera.
To me, this painting shows how Matisse felt about his studio. The things that remain in color — the things that remain defined — those are the things he valued. His art tools, his artwork, and the rest is just there. To me, this painting feels like seeing the world through his eyes. Magical.
If you're in or around New York City before the Red Studio exhibit closes in September, I hope you'll pop over to MoMA to check it out and let me know your thoughts about it. If I have the opportunity to travel this summer, it's definitely on my bucket list!
Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for sharing this insight into Matisse. As a former art teacher I always look to better understand artists I admire.
Thank you for sharing this insight into Matisse. As a former art teacher I always look to better understand artists I admire.
Thank you for sharing this insight into Matisse. As a former art teacher I always look to better understand artists I admire.
Thank you for sharing this insight into Matisse. As a former art teacher I always look to better understand artists I admire.
Thank you for sharing this insight into Matisse. As a former art teacher I always look to better understand artists I admire.
Thank you for sharing this insight into Matisse. As a former art teacher I always look to better understand artists I admire.
Thank you for sharing this insight into Matisse. As a former art teacher I always look to better understand artists I admire.
I always learn so much from you on a variety of topics. Very interesting and informative. Thank you for your teachings.
I always learn so much from you on a variety of topics. Very interesting and informative. Thank you for your teachings.
I always learn so much from you on a variety of topics. Very interesting and informative. Thank you for your teachings.
I always learn so much from you on a variety of topics. Very interesting and informative. Thank you for your teachings.
I always learn so much from you on a variety of topics. Very interesting and informative. Thank you for your teachings.
I always learn so much from you on a variety of topics. Very interesting and informative. Thank you for your teachings.
I always learn so much from you on a variety of topics. Very interesting and informative. Thank you for your teachings.
I was able to see the exhibit last week. It was worth the trip. I enjoyed seeing the painting along with the works of art he depicted in the painting all together. I especially like the conservation video they showed about the process of the painting and how he covered it in red, fascinating. I liked the one quote, ” the color becomes the environment.”
I was able to see the exhibit last week. It was worth the trip. I enjoyed seeing the painting along with the works of art he depicted in the painting all together. I especially like the conservation video they showed about the process of the painting and how he covered it in red, fascinating. I liked the one quote, ” the color becomes the environment.”
I was able to see the exhibit last week. It was worth the trip. I enjoyed seeing the painting along with the works of art he depicted in the painting all together. I especially like the conservation video they showed about the process of the painting and how he covered it in red, fascinating. I liked the one quote, ” the color becomes the environment.”
I was able to see the exhibit last week. It was worth the trip. I enjoyed seeing the painting along with the works of art he depicted in the painting all together. I especially like the conservation video they showed about the process of the painting and how he covered it in red, fascinating. I liked the one quote, ” the color becomes the environment.”
I was able to see the exhibit last week. It was worth the trip. I enjoyed seeing the painting along with the works of art he depicted in the painting all together. I especially like the conservation video they showed about the process of the painting and how he covered it in red, fascinating. I liked the one quote, ” the color becomes the environment.”
I was able to see the exhibit last week. It was worth the trip. I enjoyed seeing the painting along with the works of art he depicted in the painting all together. I especially like the conservation video they showed about the process of the painting and how he covered it in red, fascinating. I liked the one quote, ” the color becomes the environment.”
I was able to see the exhibit last week. It was worth the trip. I enjoyed seeing the painting along with the works of art he depicted in the painting all together. I especially like the conservation video they showed about the process of the painting and how he covered it in red, fascinating. I liked the one quote, ” the color becomes the environment.”
Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thats so good to hear, Nancy!
Thats so good to hear, Nancy!
Thats so good to hear, Nancy!
Thats so good to hear, Nancy!
Thats so good to hear, Nancy!
Thats so good to hear, Nancy!
Thats so good to hear, Nancy!
Youre so welcome!
Youre so welcome!
Youre so welcome!
Youre so welcome!
Youre so welcome!
Youre so welcome!
Youre so welcome!
Me too!
Me too!
Me too!
Me too!
Me too!
Me too!
Me too!
Wow!! Thank you so much for putting all of this material into one easy to study posting. I learned so much and passed it on to my husband. We are self-taught art lovers and just need to keep learning.
Wow!! Thank you so much for putting all of this material into one easy to study posting. I learned so much and passed it on to my husband. We are self-taught art lovers and just need to keep learning.
Wow!! Thank you so much for putting all of this material into one easy to study posting. I learned so much and passed it on to my husband. We are self-taught art lovers and just need to keep learning.
Wow!! Thank you so much for putting all of this material into one easy to study posting. I learned so much and passed it on to my husband. We are self-taught art lovers and just need to keep learning.
Wow!! Thank you so much for putting all of this material into one easy to study posting. I learned so much and passed it on to my husband. We are self-taught art lovers and just need to keep learning.
Wow!! Thank you so much for putting all of this material into one easy to study posting. I learned so much and passed it on to my husband. We are self-taught art lovers and just need to keep learning.
Wow!! Thank you so much for putting all of this material into one easy to study posting. I learned so much and passed it on to my husband. We are self-taught art lovers and just need to keep learning.
You shared a few Matisse pieces in bootcamp, and really brought his work to life for me. I still don’t pretend to understand much of it, but I certainly appreciate it more. For that, I thank you. 🙂 Also… Am I alone in seeing a hookah, instead of a glass vase?
You shared a few Matisse pieces in bootcamp, and really brought his work to life for me. I still don’t pretend to understand much of it, but I certainly appreciate it more. For that, I thank you. 🙂 Also… Am I alone in seeing a hookah, instead of a glass vase?
You shared a few Matisse pieces in bootcamp, and really brought his work to life for me. I still don’t pretend to understand much of it, but I certainly appreciate it more. For that, I thank you. 🙂 Also… Am I alone in seeing a hookah, instead of a glass vase?
You shared a few Matisse pieces in bootcamp, and really brought his work to life for me. I still don’t pretend to understand much of it, but I certainly appreciate it more. For that, I thank you. 🙂 Also… Am I alone in seeing a hookah, instead of a glass vase?
You shared a few Matisse pieces in bootcamp, and really brought his work to life for me. I still don’t pretend to understand much of it, but I certainly appreciate it more. For that, I thank you. 🙂 Also… Am I alone in seeing a hookah, instead of a glass vase?
You shared a few Matisse pieces in bootcamp, and really brought his work to life for me. I still don’t pretend to understand much of it, but I certainly appreciate it more. For that, I thank you. 🙂 Also… Am I alone in seeing a hookah, instead of a glass vase?
You shared a few Matisse pieces in bootcamp, and really brought his work to life for me. I still don’t pretend to understand much of it, but I certainly appreciate it more. For that, I thank you. 🙂 Also… Am I alone in seeing a hookah, instead of a glass vase?
Hi Julie, I always enjoy reading your blog but don’t always leave a comment. You are so thoughtful in what you share. I don’t know much about art history. I really appreciate the time that you take to not only share creative works of art (yours & others), but also how you also share tidbits on the techniques or the backstory on how a piece came together. My husband is a musician and I often tell him that while I love music, I enjoy it somewhat one dimensionally because I am not a musician. He on the other hand experiences music with all 5 of his senses because he can read it, write it, play several instruments, ect. The videos you shared about Matisse’s piece really helped to broaden my perspective in a similar way! Thanks so much!
Hi Julie, I always enjoy reading your blog but don’t always leave a comment. You are so thoughtful in what you share. I don’t know much about art history. I really appreciate the time that you take to not only share creative works of art (yours & others), but also how you also share tidbits on the techniques or the backstory on how a piece came together. My husband is a musician and I often tell him that while I love music, I enjoy it somewhat one dimensionally because I am not a musician. He on the other hand experiences music with all 5 of his senses because he can read it, write it, play several instruments, ect. The videos you shared about Matisse’s piece really helped to broaden my perspective in a similar way! Thanks so much!
Hi Julie, I always enjoy reading your blog but don’t always leave a comment. You are so thoughtful in what you share. I don’t know much about art history. I really appreciate the time that you take to not only share creative works of art (yours & others), but also how you also share tidbits on the techniques or the backstory on how a piece came together. My husband is a musician and I often tell him that while I love music, I enjoy it somewhat one dimensionally because I am not a musician. He on the other hand experiences music with all 5 of his senses because he can read it, write it, play several instruments, ect. The videos you shared about Matisse’s piece really helped to broaden my perspective in a similar way! Thanks so much!
Hi Julie, I always enjoy reading your blog but don’t always leave a comment. You are so thoughtful in what you share. I don’t know much about art history. I really appreciate the time that you take to not only share creative works of art (yours & others), but also how you also share tidbits on the techniques or the backstory on how a piece came together. My husband is a musician and I often tell him that while I love music, I enjoy it somewhat one dimensionally because I am not a musician. He on the other hand experiences music with all 5 of his senses because he can read it, write it, play several instruments, ect. The videos you shared about Matisse’s piece really helped to broaden my perspective in a similar way! Thanks so much!
Hi Julie, I always enjoy reading your blog but don’t always leave a comment. You are so thoughtful in what you share. I don’t know much about art history. I really appreciate the time that you take to not only share creative works of art (yours & others), but also how you also share tidbits on the techniques or the backstory on how a piece came together. My husband is a musician and I often tell him that while I love music, I enjoy it somewhat one dimensionally because I am not a musician. He on the other hand experiences music with all 5 of his senses because he can read it, write it, play several instruments, ect. The videos you shared about Matisse’s piece really helped to broaden my perspective in a similar way! Thanks so much!
Hi Julie, I always enjoy reading your blog but don’t always leave a comment. You are so thoughtful in what you share. I don’t know much about art history. I really appreciate the time that you take to not only share creative works of art (yours & others), but also how you also share tidbits on the techniques or the backstory on how a piece came together. My husband is a musician and I often tell him that while I love music, I enjoy it somewhat one dimensionally because I am not a musician. He on the other hand experiences music with all 5 of his senses because he can read it, write it, play several instruments, ect. The videos you shared about Matisse’s piece really helped to broaden my perspective in a similar way! Thanks so much!
Hi Julie, I always enjoy reading your blog but don’t always leave a comment. You are so thoughtful in what you share. I don’t know much about art history. I really appreciate the time that you take to not only share creative works of art (yours & others), but also how you also share tidbits on the techniques or the backstory on how a piece came together. My husband is a musician and I often tell him that while I love music, I enjoy it somewhat one dimensionally because I am not a musician. He on the other hand experiences music with all 5 of his senses because he can read it, write it, play several instruments, ect. The videos you shared about Matisse’s piece really helped to broaden my perspective in a similar way! Thanks so much!