Open Window by Henri Matisse - Abstract Wall Art Photo Poster Print

ROLLED PHOTO POSTER PRINTContact us if you require a custom size.

Printed using only high quality inks on gallery grade 280 GSM premium lustre photo paper with a semi matte/gloss finish to ensure a sharp vibrant image. The prints are trimmed to the edge of the image. Please add a note when ordering if you would like to add a specified white border to assist with framing.

(frame not included)

Open Window by Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse’s Open Window (1905) is a vibrant and expressive painting that exemplifies the Fauvist movement, characterized by bold colours and loose, spontaneous brushwork. The artwork depicts a sunlit view from the artist’s room in Collioure, a coastal town in southern France. The open window serves as a frame within the composition, offering a glimpse of the harbour beyond, where boats float on shimmering blue waters. The interior space, with its green and pink walls, contrasts strikingly with the rich blues and purples of the seascape outside, creating a dynamic interplay between indoors and outdoors.

Matisse employs pure, non-naturalistic colours to heighten the emotional intensity of the scene. The brushstrokes are lively and visible, reflecting the artist’s interest in capturing the energy and atmosphere rather than precise details. The boats, water, and sky are rendered with dashes of colour that seem to vibrate with movement, while the window itself is outlined in strong, contrasting hues. This use of colour and technique exemplifies the Fauvist rejection of traditional perspective and naturalism in favour of a more expressive and subjective approach.

Beyond its formal qualities, Open Window symbolises artistic freedom and a break from academic traditions. The open window can be seen as a metaphor for Matisse’s vision, inviting viewers to look beyond conventional representation and embrace the possibilities of colour and form. The painting was first exhibited at the 1905 Salon d’Automne in Paris, where it, along with works by André Derain and other Fauves, shocked audiences with its radical use of colour. Today, Open Window is celebrated as a masterpiece of early modernism, marking a pivotal moment in Matisse’s career and the development of 20th-century art.