Henri Matisse - Goldfish (19.5 in x 27.5 in)

• Title: Goldfish (French: Les Poissons rouges

• Artist: Henri Matisse

• Year Created: 1912

• Medium: Oil on canvas

• Current Location: Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, Russia

Subject and Inspiration

Matisse's fascination with goldfish began after a trip to Tangier, Morocco, in early 1912. He observed the local population spending hours engaged in relaxed daydreaming while gazing into goldfish bowls. For Matisse, the goldfish became a symbol of this tranquil, contemplative state of mind and evoked the idea of an idyllic, lost paradise. Goldfish became a recurring motif in his work throughout the early and mid-1910s, appearing in numerous paintings, drawings, and prints.

Visual Style and Composition

• Color Palette: The painting features the bright, complementary colors characteristic of his Fauvist roots. The vibrant, bright orange of the fish is designed to starkly contrast with the softer pinks, greens, and the blue-green background

• Pictorial Space: Matisse creates an intentional visual tension by playing with perspective. The goldfish are depicted from two angles simultaneously: they are easily recognizable from the side, while from the top of the water's surface, they are rendered merely as suggestive, colorful brushstrokes.

• Setting: The still life is set in Matisse's own garden conservatory at his home in Issy-les-Moulineaux, featuring his personal plants, furniture, and fish tank.