Red Algae on Sky Blue by Henri Matisse Art Print expression near-black background

near-black background

a blue sea

What shifts when this goes up is the temperature of the room

and small flashes of blue sky and shutters keep it from feeling heavy

Red Algae on Sky Blue by Henri Matisse Art Print expression near-black backgroundWe like a botanical best when it comes with a little abrasion. This is Matisse from 1952 a hand cut red shape laid on a chalky sky blue ground, signed in pencil at the corner. There's nothing precious about it, and that's exactly the point. Hang it and a quiet room wakes up. The red does the heavy lifting; the blue keeps things calm enough to live with every day. It reads as botanical, abstract and joyful all at once. It works above a sofa, in a