Henry Matisse

The painting titled The Dance by Henry Matisse shows five naked dancers holding hands with a blue and green background. The painting was completed in 1910 and was commissioned by a wealthy Russian called Sergei Shchukin. Even the piece looks simple; critical analysis reveals that Matisse was thorough in the composition of the characters and application of style. However, it is not clear the meaning or context of the naked dance. Matisse intentionally avoids showing the details of the dancers faces such that it is difficult to establish if they are happy or sad. However, the face of the top-right dancers suggests a somber mood. It is like a ritual performance where each dancer is immersed in their distinct move while at the same time seeking harmony.
The use of curve lines is quite manifest in the painting by Matisse. He uses curves to enhance the shapes of the dancers’ body, from head to toe. The curves generate an impression of connectedness and help communicate the overall message of unity. Even the greenish part below the dancers is separated with curvy lines from the blue backdrop. The use of curvy lines also gives the impression of nature as opposed to artificial elements that engage geometrical shapes.
The artist also uses color to create an impression of depth in the painting. First, the warm tones of the dancers’ bodies contracts with the cool bluish-green colors in the background. The viewer can focus on the dancers as they are elegantly withdrawn from the backdrop through the use of the contrasting colors.

The blue color gives an impression that it is far off like the sky, while the green color serves as the ground. Therefore, the audience can easily imagine the dancers on a green hill with the blue-sky as their backdrop.

Source: https://www.henrimatisse.org/the-dance.jsp#prettyPhoto

Reference
Henri Matisse Biography, Artworks, and Quotes. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.henrimatisse.org/the-dance.jsp#prettyPhoto