Bathers with a Turtle by Henri Matisse

This academic nude in a bucolic landscape expresses the aspiration of Henri Matisse for an art of balance and purity. With his creation entitled “Bathers with a Turtle”, the painter distances himself from superfluous details to concentrate on the essential of the human form. The simplified treatment of the subject bears witness to a transition toward a more decorative and monumental style. This work fits fully into the artist’s research on the fusion of the figure and the natural landscape.

Three naked female silhouettes stand out against a simplified background composed of an ultramarine blue sea and an azure sky. The characters rest on a uniform grass green ground which accentuates the timeless dimension of the scene. On the left, a crouching woman from behind reaches out toward a small brown turtle placed on the ground. In the center, a companion stands, absorbed in the contemplation of the reptile while caressing her long brown hair. On the right, a third figure is seated in profile, her head slightly tilted in a contemplative and peaceful attitude. The soft shapes of the bodies are emphasized by dark outlines and light pink models.

The artist demonstrates here his remarkable mastery of synthetic drawing and flat color. Through a flexible and fluid line, Henri Matisse draws the outlines of the bodies with a great economy of means. The harmony of the primary hues infuses a soft vitality into this bucolic idyll of great aesthetic modernity.