HENRI MATISSE Polynesie La Mer, 2005

“Polynesia, La Mer” features a patterned assembly of cut-out forms that evoke a sense of aquatic life and oceanic elements. Matisse’s use of abstracted forms suggests a relationship to nature, particularly reflecting the life and movement found within a marine environment. Characteristic of Matisse’s later work, where he employed the technique of ‘painting with scissors,’ the artwork boasts a simplicity and clarity that is achieved through its reduced color palette and the bold outlines of the cut-out shapes.