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Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
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In 1911, Henri Matisse compossed The Pink Studio in the Expressionism style. The oil painting is created on a 182 by 221 cm canvas.

During his stay in Paris, Henri Matisse was commissioned by Sergei Shchukin. The collector bought Matisse's paintings, The Studio, and The painter's family. The Studio and several other compositions by Henri Matisse were hanged in Shchukin's house. He also invited the painter and his wife to spend some time in his house. When they arrived at his home, Matisse collected all his paintings in one room known as the pink living room. The pink living room previously hosted paintings by famous artists Degas and Cezanne.

Since most of Henri Matisse's paintings were made on large canvases, they could barely fit on the wall. Therefore he had to hang them right on top of the stucco. Doing this created a stunning effect on visitors. This inspired Matisse to paint his vision and name it The Pink Room. However, it is worth noting that while the pink living room inspires the composition, it is not a realist composition.

The pink Studio features a room with pink walls. The walls feature various pieces of art. There are several other works scattered around the room. At the center is a blue backdrop with flowers. On the backdrop is a large piece of cloth featuring a darker shade of blue and yellow. There are also a few pieces of furniture around the pink Studio, like a stool with paint and brushes on it.

The Pink Studio features a light symphonic interior. It is painted using transparent watercolor. While it is far from a realistic composition, it features other works by Henri Matisse. For instance, Henri Matisse's The Girl with Green Eyes can be seen standing on the floor within the composition. Hanging on the left wall on the painting is another one of Matisse's masterpieces known as The Luxury II. It also contains slight details of The Dance, which was showcased at the Shchukin gallery when Henri created this piece.

Other similar paintings expressing Matisse's picturesque suite are The Painter's Family, presently located in the Hermitage, The Red Studio, currently on display at the New York Museum of Modern Art, and Still Life with Aubergines, presently owned by the Museum of Grenoble in France. The primary resemblance between these paintings is that they all emphasize decorativeness and the strong influence of the Eastern culture. The painting is currently located at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia.