The Silence That Lives In Houses

The Silence That Lives In Houses was painted by Henri Matisse in 1947. I chose this painting because I like how it tells a story. The outside scene that is visible through the window is bright and lively. Contrastingly, Matisse used dark colors inside the house, possibly to symbolize the silence or secrets that are kept behind closed doors. The two people sitting at the table appear to be reading or studying. They also seem to be bored by their studies. It looks as if they are trapped inside their house while life passes by outside of the window.