Océanie, La Mer

Henri Matisse, French

designed 1946; made 1948

Screenprint on linen

Saint Louis Art Museum

A collage of white cut-out shapes resembling marine life and abstract forms are arranged on a tan background, bordered by a decorative edge. Henri Matisse depicted all manner of sea creatures—including abstract sharks, jellyfish, and rays, as well as coral formations and seaweed—in this large-scale tapestry. They suggest his memories of diving in French Polynesia. Matisse once described plunging into a crystal-clear ocean, where he could see “fish and great coral massifs as clearly as if there was no water.” For the artist, the lines above the jellyfish served as “signs” for the horizon line, while the beige background may reference sand. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Wilson Not on view