Artwork
View of Collioure
View of Collioure is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Henri Matisse. It dates from 1907 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a product of Matisse's early modernist period, the piece utilizes oil paint applied to a woven canvas support to render its subject matter.
Executed in 1907, View of Collioure is an oil painting on canvas by Henri Matisse. The work measures 92.1 by 65.7 centimeters and depicts a landscape featuring trees in the town of Collioure. As a product of Matisse's early modernist period, the piece utilizes oil paint applied to a woven canvas support to render its subject matter.
The composition focuses on the natural environment, categorizing the work within the landscape genre. While specific details regarding the artist's brushwork or the current physical condition of the surface are not explicitly detailed in the available records, the fundamental material construction remains consistent with standard oil painting techniques of the era, relying on the interaction of pigment and fabric to establish the visual field.
History & Provenance
Henri Matisse created the oil-on-canvas painting View of Collioure in 1907. The work, a landscape depicting trees and the town of Collioure, measures 92.1 by 65.7 centimeters. Historically, the painting was owned by Jacques Gelman as part of his significant collection.
It was subsequently exhibited as part of the Twentieth-Century Modern Masters: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the precise commission details are not specified in the available records, the inception date is firmly established as 1907, marking its place in Matisse's early twentieth-century output.
Henri Matisse's 1907 oil painting, View of Collioure, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work depicts a landscape featuring trees in the town of Collioure and is executed on canvas, measuring 92.1 cm in height and 65.7 cm in width. The painting was previously owned by Jacques Gelman.
Its documented exhibition history includes the presentation of the Twentieth-Century Modern Masters: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, where it was displayed as part of this significant assembly of modern works.
Overview
Henri Matisse created View of Collioure in 1907, an oil painting that captures a landscape of the southern French coastal town. This work exemplifies the artist's innovative approach to color and form, positioning him as a significant contributor to the development of modern art in the early 20th century. It offers a distinct perspective on a familiar setting.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a vibrant interpretation of Collioure, a coastal town in southern France. Dominant, dark tree trunks frame the composition, guiding the eye towards the clustered buildings and hills beyond, rendered in warm hues of yellow, orange, and pink. The sky above is a soft purple, contributing to a scene where natural forms are distilled into simplified, distinct areas of color, rather than detailed representations.
Context
Created during a pivotal period in modern art, View of Collioure reflects Henri Matisse's pioneering spirit. His innovative use of color and fluid draughtsmanship were central to his artistic identity, pushing beyond traditional representation. Alongside figures like Pablo Picasso, Matisse was instrumental in shaping the trajectory of early 20th-century art, challenging conventions and establishing new visual languages that profoundly influenced subsequent generations.
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.
