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GoldfishGoldfish © Alexander Burkatovski/Corbis

Goldfish

Henri Matisse. 1912 C.E. Oil on canvas.

Curator Note

"Matisse uses vibrant, contrasting colors to depict goldfish swimming in a bowl. Influenced by his trip to Morocco where goldfish were objects of meditation, he creates a serene, decorative paradise. The skewed perspective and bold use of complementary colors (orange fish, blue water/background) prioritize expression and pleasure over realism."

Form

  • Fauvism: bold, arbitrary, non-naturalistic color.
  • Complementary contrast: Orange vs Blue, Pink vs Green.
  • Flattened, tilted table top perspective.
  • Loose, sketch-like brushwork.
  • Decorative patterns (wallpaper/leaves).

Function

  • To create "an art of balance, of purity and serenity" (armchair for the mind).
  • To explore color relationships.
  • To depict a meditative state.
  • To reject the anxiety of modern life.
  • To decorate.

Content

  • Goldfish: symbols of paradise and tranquility.
  • Plants: nature tamed for the domestic interior.
  • The distortion of the fish (seen from side and top).
  • The cylindrical bowl.
  • Silence and stillness.

Context

  • Painted after visiting Tangier, Morocco.
  • Matisse was the leader of the Fauves ("Wild Beasts").
  • Contrast with the intellectual rigor of Cubism.
  • Goldfish became a recurring motif for Matisse.
  • Influence of Islamic art (decorative patterns).