The Dream by Henri Matisse

 

I've wittered on about Matisse before here – almost 8 years ago!  But I was leafing through a book called Matise in 50 Works by John Cauman when my eye was caught by this work – I haven't noticed it particularly before.

 

Matisse created this work in 1940 – during the Second World War.   He was feeling stressed and wrote to his son that 'When I began it ,months ago, The Dream was a very realistic picture, with a beautiful dark young woman asleep on my marble table… Now she has turned into an angel… I won't say that this painting made me forget everything else, but at least it brought me some relief.'

 

The sitter (or is it sleeper) is wearing a Romanian peasant blouse.  The patterns intereact with the way he has drawn her features – and the table.  Striking!

 

This work is owned privately but going by previous sales it is most probably worth many millions.