In his still life Figurine and Vase on Oriental Carpet Matisse uses an unusual compositional solution: the effect of perspective in the two-dimensional composition is produced by the carpet drooping onto some surface, as well as the lines of its folds. The carpet is the cornerstone of the coloristic and dynamic technique of the still life. It is painted as a flat decorative panel, but the objects standing on it are rendered as three-dimensional. The effect of decorative balance is achieved through the use of pure-colored spots and clear-cut shapes defined with expressive lines.