“The Dance” by Henri Matisse, from 1910, depicts five nude figures dancing in a circle, holding hands, on a green ground evoking the earth. The sky in the background is painted an intense blue, creating a strong contrast with the red-orange bodies of the dancers. The figures are stylised and simplified, formed by sinuous lines that convey a sense of primordial movement and dynamism. The dance takes on a symbolic value: the figures seem to emerge from the earth and reach upwards, in an almost mythical and universal gesture.
Matisse uses a few main colours and reduces detail to emphasise the expression of movement, harmony and rhythm between bodies and space. The work sums up the Fauve aesthetic, in which colour, line and rhythm prevail over realism, creating an intense and immediate visual energy.
Unique quality material
Print on handmade Amalfi paper Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in) With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in) Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges Frame: light brown beech wood and wood pulp, handmade
How an Amalfi art print is made, what the frame is like, what museum glass is, how long shipping takes, and how returns work: we’ve gathered all the answers on a single page.
