Odalisque in Red Trousers

The painting you're looking at is Henri Matisse's Odalisque in Red Trousers.

An odalisque originally referred to a woman who served in an Islamic palace.

Matisse painted many works featuring odalisques during his years in Nice.

Now, let's take a closer look at the painting.

First, you'll see a woman reclining on a sofa.

Notice how she has one arm raised above her head.

This was a pose Matisse often used.

It allowed him to show the curves of the body more clearly.

He also placed a floral screen behind her, completing the kind of Orientalist setting that Europeans associated with the East at the time.

Before painting this work, Matisse had traveled to places such as Morocco and Algeria. He became deeply fascinated by Orientalism, and that fascination inspired works like this one.

Now, take your time and enjoy the painting. When you're ready, let's move on to the next work.