Kehinde Wiley and Matisse's Decorative Style

It is not difficult to recognize a Kehinde Wiley portrait with its arabesque, often floral pattern that comes out of the background and goes in front of the subject.

Matisse in his Harmony in Red (called Red Room or Krasnaya Komnata by The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia) has a floral pattern as wallpaper that becomes also the table cloth. 

The flower arrangement in the pattern also becomes the still life flowers on the table. In Prince Albert, Prince Consort of Queen Victoria from the series Jamaica, 2013, Wiley has the tattoo design on the male subject as part of the background pattern.

Matisse's decorative phase was temporary and often derided by critics. Wiley with the exception of some of his stained glass works, doesn't appear to be giving up this style. The recent Obama portrait will probably bring more demand for his patterned portraits.

Young adults and children are fans of Kehinde Wiley. When The World Stage: Jamaica, came to London in 2013 there was a Tate Talk, Q&Artist: Kehinde Wiley Curated by and aimed at 15–25 year-olds. On school tours the students are more involved with a Kehinde Wiley than they are with the OLD MASTERS.