Art and the Colors of Life essays

Art and the Colors of Life essays Upon visiting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, I saw many different varieties of artwork. One such painting that caught my eye was Femme au Chapeau (Woman with the Hat), painted by Henri Matisse (1869-1954). The image was made in 1905 and originated from France. The oil painting on canvas measures 31 Â ¾ x 23 Â ½ inches. The Femme au Chapeau was one of the first of its kind. As a new 20th century emerged, so did a new style of artistry to depict the beauties of the era. The functional purpose of the painting is basically that of a portrait. In this case, the woman in the painting is actually Matisses wife, Amlie. Most portraits stand alone and are created to preserve the beauty and perhaps characteristics of an individual. This particular painting was first exhibited at the 1905 Salon dAutomne in Paris, according to the information provided next to the painting, and was later purchased by the Stein family, who were close friends with Matisse. I personally believe Matisses intention for his artwork was to show it off to the world. It would be a waste to keep it locked up in a house. Most portraits of the era were smooth and consisted of realistic ideals. Femme au Chapeau exposes a new type of portrait for everyone to see. As for the texture of the painting, the surface looks rough. Because Matisse used oil paint, one can see some thickness of the paint that was not smoothed out. Also, the oil produces a shine and enhances the vibrancy of the bright colors. The looseness and quickness of Matisses brushstrokes are very visible and sketchy. This gives off a lively feeling and almost brings the painting to life. In some ways, it almost looks as if each brushstroke was intentionally planted in its position. For example, the deep strokes placed on the fan that the woman is holding gives off a beautiful detail within itself. The new use of quick brushstrokes was also new to this era and ...