The artwork entitled “View of Collioure (The Tower)” was created by Henri Matisse in 1905. It is representative of the Impressionism movement and falls within the genre of cityscape. This piece exhibits the qualities typical of Matisse’s early Fauvist phase, characterized by the use of vivid, non-naturalistic colors and loose brushwork.
The artwork portrays a vibrant scene of the French town of Collioure. Bold, undulating strokes of orange, yellow, and red define much of the architecture and seem to echo the warm Mediterranean climate of the region. Contrasting blues and greens imbue the composition with a sense of balance and temper the warmth of the overall scene. The central feature, the tower, stands resiliently amidst a mosaic of expressive color patches and energetic brushwork. Through the use of fragmented color and dynamic application of paint, Matisse conveys both the physical charm of Collioure and the atmosphere of a sun-drenched coastal town as perceived by an artist moving beyond the confines of Impressionism toward the more avant-garde approach of Fauvism.
