Le Madras Rouge

The woman on the painting is Amélie Matisse, wife of Henri Matisse, and a frequent subject of his works. Her parents caused some embarasment to Matisse in the early 1900's as they were employees of the french fraudster, Madame Herbert. Matisse himself is often regarded as the most important French painter of the 20th century. As the leader of the Fauvist movement around 1900, he pursued the expressiveness of colour throughout his career. His subjects were largely domestic or figurative, and a distinct Mediterranean verve presides in the treatment.