"Yes I'm naked, deal with it!" by Julia Duato

 "Yes I'm naked, deal with it!" by Julia Duato

There are some paintings that stick with you, “Carmelina” by Henri Matisse, is one of them. You can find this painting in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, hidden around others, but less impressing, paintings. The first time you see the painting you only see a nude women, like the typical painting. Looking more deeply into it you will find a man looking at this naked girl, more exactly, you will see Matisse hiding in the mirror looking at Carmelina.  Questions pop to your head “Is he looking at her or us?” ”Is he looking at us through her?”, this questions makes you want to know more about the painting. When you find him in the panting, you cannot stop staring at him, the little red and blurry stain in the mirror makes this painting be a beautiful nude, but also a self-portrait. By doing this, Matisse is showing that every work by an artist is a self-portrait and it is connected to it. 

The painting makes you feel quite uncomfortable when staring at it for to long, since the girl “Carmelina” stares back at you with upright posture and a somehow arrogant expression, almost aggressive and innocent at the same time. All the emotional contrast is what makes this painting beautiful and powerful.