Artwork
Apples
Apples is an oil painting by the Fauvist artist Henri Matisse. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
- Accession no.
- 64001
- Credit line
- Gift of Florene May Schoenborn and Samuel A. Marx
About this work
Overview
Henri Matisse created this oil on canvas still life during the early years of World War I, when he was excluded from military service. The work presents a bowl of red apples set on a blue tablecloth, rendered with flat, bold shapes and vivid, unmixed colors that emphasize surface over illusion.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on everyday fruit, yet the stark color contrasts and simplified forms convey a sense of vitality that Matisse intended to affirm French artistic tradition amid the turmoil of war. The apples become a vehicle for expressing resilience through visual harmony.
Technique & Style
Matisse employs a limited palette of pure reds, blues, and a striking green band, allowing the colors to interact directly. The background is a deep, luminous black, used deliberately as a light‑bearing hue rather than a symbol of darkness, reinforcing his experimental approach to color and flatness.
History & Provenance
The artist painted this still life twice: once in the abstract manner seen here and again in a more conventional representational version. Both were produced shortly after the outbreak of World War I, reflecting Matisse’s resolve to sustain French painting despite his inability to serve in the armed forces.
Context
Created at a time when many artists were confronting the cultural impact of the war, the painting illustrates Matisse’s personal response, continuing to work and innovate as a contribution to national morale. The work aligns with his broader exploration of compositional and material possibilities during this period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (French:; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship.
