Fenêtre ouverte, Collioure (Open Window, Collioure)

Henri Matisse’s Fenêtre ouverte, Collioure (Open Window, Collioure, 1905) is an oil on canvas painting depicting an open window framing a vibrant view of sailboats moored in a sunlit harbor. The painting teems with color and energy—bold dashes and patches of pink, orange, green, blue, and purple compose the boats, water, sky, and window’s interior frame. Flower pots line the windowsill, adding to the lively composition that merges the interior and exterior worlds in a fusion of Fauvist color and brushwork.

Artistic and Social Context

Created during Matisse’s stay in Collioure, a favorite Fauvist locale in southern France, Fenêtre ouverte is emblematic of the movement’s interest in vivid, non-naturalistic colors and expressive brushstrokes to convey light and mood. Painted in 1905, the work shares the period’s enthusiasm for bright palettes and simplified forms, celebrating the Mediterranean’s intense light and color. The open window motif also symbolizes a new artistic openness and exploration, blending interior domesticity with the vibrant external world.​

Interpretation and Meaning

Open Window captures a joyous sensibility and optimism through its riotous colors and dynamic composition. The juxtaposition of interior plants and outdoor harbor scene conveys a connection between nature and human life, with the window acting as a metaphorical threshold between realities. It represents freedom, creativity, and the Fauvist ideal of painting as expressive, emotional celebration rather than mere representation.​

Size

The original painting measures approximately 55 × 46 cm (21 5/8 × 18 1/8 inches).