The choice of colours in The Snail is not
random or purely technical. In the same way that the spiral refers to
a snail’s shell, the colours are a response to the landscape of
the Mediterranean where Matisse lived and worked. The citrus oranges and
yellow, brilliant blue, hot reds and pinks and lush greens, reflect the
intense heat and light of the South of France, its sun, sea, sky and vibrant
colours of the land. The Snail is therefore not an accurate representation
of the natural world, but a meditation on the pleasure and harmony that
can be found in nature. |