Introduction
“Notes of a Painter” is a theoretical essay written by Matisse in 1908, in which the famous artist expresses his opinion on the essential problems of art. The author reflects on the task of a painter, as well as the meaning and forms of expression. Matisse offers his ideas on the role of color and the place of nature in art.
The main idea
The author begins his essay with a claim that a painter presenting his (Matisse only uses masculine prepositions) ideas are exposed to three kinds of danger. One of them is the expectations of people: they expect a painter to express ideas in an obvious way, as in literature, which is impossible. The other danger is that a painter can contradict himself: his thought changes and triggers the change of expression, despite the central idea being unchanged. Finally, if a painter mentions other artists to compare his style with theirs, it may look like he is belittling their work (Matisse 1).
Having admitted that he would be exposed to these dangers, Matisse proceeds to the explanation of such a significant concept as expression. Expression, as he believes, “does not reside in passions” (Matisse 1). The way, in which a painting is arranged, including the placement and size of figures, the presence of empty spaces, etc., is expression. Composition, i.e. the art of arranging the parts of a picture, is used to express the feelings of an artist, and expression is the aim of composition. Matisse also mentions that the way an artist covers a sheet seriously affects the composition, for a drawing created on a sheet of a certain shape and size would look differently (most likely, worse), being repeated on a different sheet (Matisse 1-2).
Next, Matisse presents his statements related to the role of color. He explains that choosing a color according to one’s first impression may seem appealing, but he would rather not act like that, as it makes the sensation vague, and he wants a more lasting interpretation. A writer should make the color gamma sound and harmonize since the primary function of color is to aid expression. As an example, Matisse mentions his principle: while drawing an autumn picture, he chooses not the colors often associated with the fall, but those that he believes would best express his feelings about the fall (Matisse 2-4).
According to Matisse, an artist is always copying nature, and even if he moves away from it, this is but a way to explore it more comprehensively. The author mentions a popular belief about two types of artists, the first one working with nature itself, and the others using only their imagination to work. This distinction, Matisse states, is entirely made up; there is no real difference, for all the painters are connected with and work with nature (Matisse 4-5).
A reflection on what a genuine artist leads Matisse to a conclusion: “All artists bear the imprint of their time, but the great artists are those in whom this is most profoundly marked” (Matisse 5).
Conclusion
To conclude, in his “Notes” Matisse touches on the most serious issues of art, such as the expression of a painter, the role of color and nature in art. He mentions other artists to compare his approach to their ones. Matisse offers various examples from his professional life to support his reasoning.
References
Matisse, Henri. Notes of a Painter. 1908. Web.