H. Lyman Saÿen spent a great deal of time at the home of his friend and fellow painter Carl Newman, who lived in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania. Saÿen was inspired by Henri Matisse, who encouraged him to use color to express his emotions. He explored the countryside around Newman's house and created large paintings of the landscape in shocking colors. Décor Plat and Décor Slav confused the viewers at a 1916 exhibition, and one visitor commented that their strange compositions "defied analysis or explanation." (Public Ledger, Magazine Section, 1916, in Breeskin, H. Lyman Saÿen, 1970) The thick blocks of paint and bold outlines make the paintings appear animated, as if the colors are dancing and sliding around the canvas.
Credit: Gift of H. Lyman Sayen to his nation