Les boules de neige
c. 1905
About this artwork
This small-scale oil painting depicts a still life of flowering branches, likely guelder rose (snowball) bushes, in a loose, expressive manner. It showcases the bold, non-naturalistic color palette and thick, energetic brushwork characteristic of Matisse's early Fauvist period.
Did you know?
This work exemplifies Matisse's revolutionary approach to color, where he liberated paint from its descriptive function to express emotional intensity. The title refers to the snowball-like clusters of the guelder rose, which Matisse transformed into abstract shapes through rapid, decisive application of oil paint. It remains a classic example of how Fauvism challenged the traditional boundaries of representational art at the dawn of the 20th century.
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Les boules de neige
Henri Matisse, c. 1905
