Category Henri Matisse

A Complete Analysis of “The Musketeer” by Henri Matisse

Full-length musketeer in wide hat, orange doublet, dark sleeves and breeches, and yellow boots stands three-quarter view with a cane; crisp white collar and cuffs; set against a cool blue-green, brushy background that reads as atmospheric space rather than detailed interior.

Matisse’s 1903 “The Musketeer” transforms a theatrical costume into a modern harmony of planes and color—orange tunic, pearly whites, cool blue-green air—showing how simplified contour, steady light, and expressive brushwork give the lone figure calm authority on a shallow stage.