The standard way of thinking about representing the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface is that the one-point linear perspective is the most common tool. It was discovered in 1420 in Florence by Filippo Brunelleschi to create the illusion of reality. However, the early 20th century artists seemed to dismantle these traditional Renaissance rules. This essay will describe the reasons and methods of Henri Matisse, the outstanding artist of that time, for the rethinking of the traditions of the previous times on the example of his canvass The Red Studio.
It is essential to highlight the main elements of the traditional system that are the vanishing point, horizontal line, and orthogonal, to understand how Matisse used them in his work, if at all. The vanishing point is the single point on the viewer’s horizon that could also be used expressively, for example, by Leonardo, to attract the attention of the spectators (Smarthistory, 2013). Matisse, in turn, appeared to intentionally avoid these rules, focusing the attention on the act of imagination and the viewer’s reading of the painting (Sayre, 2016). In his work, no lines distinguish the floor from the walls but at the same time, it is possible to see some orthogonal – imaginary lines that lead to the vanishing point – on the table and the chair. Still, some curvilinear forms oppose the strict lines in the picture (Smarthistory, 2017). The Red Studio is completed in red, with minor exceptions with the help of the reserve line, which contradicts the Renaissance traditions as well (Smarthistory, 2017). Hence, it is possible to infer that Matisse did not intend to destroy the linear perspective, as he used some elements of that, but rather to rethink it.
To conclude, the great artists of the early 20th century, such as Henri Matisse, presented their vision of the art and the demonstration of the reality in it. He represented three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface but played with colors and shapes using his methods. Still, Matisse does not refuse from some elements of the linear perspective and thus, is not intended to eradicate it.
References
Sayre, H. M. (2016). A World of Art (8th ed.). Pearson.
Smarthistory. (2013). How one-point linear perspective works [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Smarthistory. (2017). Matisse, The Red Studio [Video]. YouTube. Web.