Odalisque with Red Box
- Original dimensions
- 65 x 50 cm
- Museum
- musée Matisse
- Year
- 1927
Scene depicted
This painting reveals a woman, an odalisque, immersed in an intimate and close universe, surrounded by warm colors and bold patterns. She rests, serenely, while a red box draws the eye, a symbol of mystery and luxury. Matisse, master of color, transposes onto his canvas all the delicacy and sensuality of a moment frozen in time.
Historical context
Created in 1927, during a period rich in artistic innovation, this painting is part of the Fauvist movement. Nice, the sunny city where Henri Matisse settled, nourished his inspiration. The painting is currently located at the musée Matisse, a celebration of his genius. With its dimensions of 65 x 50 cm, it captures the eye as well as the soul of those who contemplate it.
Place in the artist's career
The painting “Odalisque au coffret rouge” represents a major turning point in Matisse's career, heralding the peak of his Fauvist style. In parallel with compositions such as “La Danse” and “Le Bonheur de Vivre,” this painting testifies to the evolution of his approach to color and composition.
Anecdote
“Color must be the promise of emotion.” Listening to the gentle murmur of the Mediterranean from his studio, Matisse fixed on this canvas the essence of movement and beauty. Imagine a spring morning, with the scent of flowers in the wind, and you will understand how this pictorial work was born from this fusion.
Major exhibitions
Matisse. Cahiers d'art, the turning point of the 1930s