June 4, 2006

 

 

The Painted Lady 

 

   Henri Matisse began his brilliant career by painting himself into an artistic corner.

 

   Though he dominated 20th Century art, rivalled only by Pablo Picasso, his first portrait scandalised critics, theologians and traditional art lovers.  The subject of such outrage?  A fully clothed woman wearing a hat.

 

   A law clerk who became seriously ill at 21, Matisse took up painting while recovering and soon found his passion.  He quit his job, took art classes in Paris and dabbled in various styles, influenced by Cezanne and van Gogh before finally settling on his own technique.  Rather than mimic reality, Matisse painted with astonishing force using daring, intense colours and broad brush strokes. 

 

   In 1905, the art world got its first look at his work with the exhibition of Woman In Hat.  Parisians either hooted with laughter or gaped in absolute shock.  Most critics panned the painting, calling it barbaric, “smears and scribbles” and an insult to both women and art.  Matisse and his few supporters were labelled “fauvres” — wild beasts.  

 

   Though the subject was traditional enough — Matisse’s wife, Amelie, wearing a huge, feathered hat — people were shocked by the odd, clashing colours that confused and repelled them.  Amelie’s hair was a fiery, unnatural red, her face and neck were smeared with splotches of colour, and a dab of yellow  marked the end of her nose.  Before long, Paris was buzzing with rumours the Matisse marriage was in trouble.

 

   In truth, Amelie was her husband’s biggest supporter.  She admired his determination to paint, not the colours of nature, but the colours of emotion and the heart;  to see the world in a vastly different way thanhis contemporaries, and to reflect the soul of his subjects.  So a week before the exhibit closed, when American art lovers Gertrude Stein and her brother, Leo, offered 300 francs for Woman In Hat, Amelie insisted Matisse hold out for 500.  He did, and his career took off.

 

   Other artists soon adopted the term wild beasts with pride, calling themselves the Fauvre Movement.  Over time, the establishment became excited by Matisse’s unique vision and eventually hailed him as the father of modern art and the liberator of colour.  Today, Woman In Hat still draws crowds and controversy.

 

   In many ways, Christians are like Henri Matisse.  We’re often judged harshly and misunderstood for refusing to reflect the world as it’s presented to us.  When we see life differently, or when we try to look beyond the surface to the spiritual dimension, those with a more mainstream perspective routinely ridicule or revile us.  Though our culture claims to prize diversity and free thinking, there’s still a harsh penalty for breaking with the majority view.

 

    And we do have a unique take on things.  “Since we believe Christ died for everyone,” says Paul,  “we also believe we’ve all died to the old life we used to live...  So we’ve stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks of them.  Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though He were merely human.  How differently I think about him now!  What this means is that those who become Christians become new people.  They’re not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” (2 Cor. 5:14-17)

 

   In that new life, “Christ’s love controls us” (v. 14) and we’re his ambassadors (v.20.)  As such, we need to paint life with the bold, unbridled colours of the heart, using broad brush strokes of sacrificial love and service.  We must see our daily circumstances in a revolutionary new way and get to the soul of the subjects all around us, even when it seems unnatural to the skeptics, confuses our critics, or makes half-hearted believers defensive. 

 

   We’ll never win over everyone.  But — in time — consistent, compassionate, Christ-like conduct will bring respect and even admiration.  If we hold firm to our convictions, some will come to share our new perspective, embrace the movement and wear the name Christian with pride.  So be careful how you colour your world. 

 

By Rick Gamble.  Published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the followers of Christ congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  Reprint at will in not-for-profit publications.  To subscribe to this free weekly article, send a note to Rick at sgamble@bfree.on.ca