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Henri Matisse would pose and study the figure.

The Master poses for me now.  ...  Why should he do that, for me??

 

Because I believe that masters grant themselves to those who love painting.

His presence would help me reflect upon the mark, the colour and, once again, the form.

 

In an interview by Apollinaire, Matisse said:

‘I have never avoided other people’s influence. I would have consider it as a cowardly act and as a lack of sincerity before myself. I believe that the artist’s personality develops and establishes itself in the struggles which have to be fought against other people’s personality. If the struggle proves disastrous for him, if he surrenders… then he was bound to have such a destiny’.

 

Several years have passed since my studies for the figure at the Academy and nowadays I’m interested in the figure much more than in those times.

Figure was just academic studies back then. It was form turning into stone and marble. Then, it reflected upon itself to be back to drawing and colour and then again to sculpture.

A lovely route… I’ve understood many things… you understand very much when you put your hands in volume and then you go back to colour.

It follows a course which often retraces its steps. It’s a constant rereading of what you do, you did and you mean to do.

Portrait, for instance, involves me deeply. It’s like landscape; it lays bare, reveals much, allows to enter and to walk within it.

Virtually, I believe that posing Matisse would be as walking within what his painting says wordlessly.

I want to get involved by imagining his presence in my studio, in order to see how I will be able to answer the call of precious teachings, through colour.                    Isabella