The Dance is one of Henri Matisse’s most famous works. It is an ode to life, to joy and to physical devotion and surrender, and has become an emblem of modern art. The bold depiction did not go without scandal: the roughly applied three colors—blue, green, and red—and the daring subject matter sparked debate and discussion in the art salons of the time. Nevertheless, the painting’s expression remains powerful and continues to be world-famous to this day. HENRI MATISSE Dance, 1909 © MoMA New York
