Henri Matisse
Biography 1869: Middle class child of a grain and hardware merchant in Bohain-en-Vermandois and went to
school at the College de Saint Quentin
1869-1888: Studied law in Paris
1889: worked as a clerk in 1989 in Saint-Quentin before contracting appendicitis and spending months
in recovery at home, in which he begun to paint. (Aged 20)
1891: Moved back to Paris in 1891 to study art but was rejected by the École des Beaux Arts. Paris at
the time was a multiplicity artistic hub in which the artistic academies started relaxing their grip.
1892: Studied art under Bouguereau at the academie Julian until 1893 and then unofficially studied
under French symbolist painter Gustav Moreau until 1898. Does copies of art at the Louvre.
Luxe, calme et volupte 1904
1894: Matisse’s unplanned daughter Marguerite was born with his lover Caroline Joblaud
1895: Matisse was accepted by the École des Beaux Arts and in 1896 had his first public exhibition.
1896: John Russell introduces Matisse to the works of Gaugin and Van Gough
1898: He got married to Amelie Parayre and Moreau died whilst he was on his honeymoon. Matisse
struggled to find another teacher.
1899: He had his first son, Jean and buys Cezanne’s three bathers, Gaugin’s head of a boy and Rodin’s
plaster, despite poverty.
1900: He had his second son, Pierre. Matisse had profound financial struggles raising three kids but
continued his collection of Avant Garde art.
1903: Matisse sees an exhibition of Persian miniatures at the Louvre
1904: Matisse spent the summer in St Tropez with the Neo-Impressionists Signac and Henri Edmond
Cross, expanded his use of colour + held his first solo show however this first show was not well
received and made little impression on the art scene.
Woman with a Hat (Portrait of Amalie)
1905 1905: [Beginning of Fauvism] Matisse, upon spending the summer in Collioure, with Andre Derain,
began to develop Fauvism, whose name was coined when critic Louis Vauxcelles compared the new
works at the Salon D’Automne as “Donatello among the wild beasts (fauves)”
Matisse also met Pablo Picasso at the studio of Gertrude Stein – marking the beginning of the lifelong
friendship and rivalry – each representing divided directions of modernist art following the death of
Paul Cezanne.
1906: Upon a trip to Algeria, Matisse’s interest in sculpture began – especially in relation to north
African work.
1907: Fauvism became out of fashion – and Matisse’s practice moved on to focusing on simplified
Reclining Nude 1 (Aroura) 1906 forms against flat planes of colour.
1908: [official end of Fauvism] Matisse opened an art school, teaching approximately 80 students –
gaining patronage from collectors of Avant Garde art (ie: Russian collector Sergei Shchukin). Matisse
also published ‘Notes of a painter’ following increased fame and scrutiny
1911-16: Matisse’s practice evolved again due to the advent of WW1 as he muted his pallet – claiming
a re-appropriation of black as the colour of life.
1912- Matisse visited Tangier in Morocco, further increasing his fascination with Moroccan art
Blue Nude (Souvenir of Biskra)
1917: [Beginning of Nice Period] colour returned to his work with many of his paintings now making
use of the exposed canvas to suggest the bright light of southern France following WW1 – it however
seemed like a retreat from the modernism he encapsulated.
1930: [End of Nice period] Matisse went through a process of artistic transition in which he aimed to
move away from the conservative nature of his work through use of Primitivism and experimentation
with illustration, tapestry design and glass engraving. Moving to Tahiti, then America during this period.
1931-33: He was commissioned to create a mural for the Barnes Foundation in Pennsylvania
1939: Matisse separated from his wife, start of WW2and ill health increased Matisse’s anxiety over the
direction of his work
1941: After being confined to a wheelchair Matisse turned to paper cut out which to him symbolised
the synthesis of drawing and painting. Expanding on this, he further simplified forms down to their
‘essential character’ until they became a symbol itself.
Goldfish 1912 1954: Matisse died of a heart attack
,Short Summary:
Matisse was a former post-impressionist and leader of the later French Fauvist movement - In which colour formed the foundation of his work.
Bright colours applied directly to the canvas were used to sooth and placate the turbulent feelings and hardships experienced by all in day-to-
day life. Despite the short-lived nature of Fauvism, Matisse continued to be a leading artist and an important exponent for expressionism, in
which colour continued to play a significant role. His subject matter focused primarily on the figurative – more specifically the nude and was
embellished with a primitive theme later in his career. Whilst most notably a painter, Matisse is revered for his work in a variety of different
media including sculpting and more significantly collage
His progression and daring in his art is representative of his goal to create an art style which achieves ‘balance, purity and serenity’ – pushing
boundaries to create a deeper sense of beauty.
ARTISTIC INFLUENCES
Matisse immersed himself in the work of other artists and was a prominent collector of artists he admired – copied art from
various sources including old masters at the Louvre and cultural artefacts
ARTISTS
William Adolphe Bouguereau (1892-93): Realist academic artist under whom Matisse studied under in 1892-1893, he stressed the traditional
approach and rigorous technicality, Matisse and Bouguereau did not get on and Matisse’s later work became the antithesis to that which
Bouguereau upheld
Gustav Moreau (1892-98): Symbolist French painter who nurtured Matisse’s more experimental nature and the wishes and voices of his
students. Matisse had an unofficial apprenticeship with him between 1892-98 until Morneau’s
death. Moreau’s teaching was foundational for Matisse and gave him the confidence to
experiment with colour and more modern approaches.
Camille Pissarro: (1906) turned Matisse towards Neo-Impressionism, a style which relied on the
science of colour theory
Paul Signac and Henri Edmond (1904): Matisse worked with Signac and Edmond in st Tropez and
adopted his own version of intuitive pointillism following this trip. Painted alongside Signac in
this style for a time.
Paul Cezanne: Matisse purchased Cezanne’s three bathers and took inspiration from it during the
years it was in his possession. He claimed it sustained him during turbulent times. From Cezanne,
Matisse learned how colour would lend paintings a type of structure and this informed the way
in which Matisse used block of colour as forms, which came together to synthesise his subjects
from paint. Matisse’s implementation of multiple perspectives also came from Cezanne – as
Cezanne believed that paintings should reflect the human binocular vision and present a subject
from two different angles
John Peter Russel: Introduced Matisse to Impressionism and the work of Vincent van Gogh in
1896. After meeting Russell, Matisse’s work shifted to a focus on bright colours. He stated that
Russell explained colour theory to him and from Van Gough, Matisse took on an enhanced
interest in colour, visible brush work and the nature of observation.
Charles Baudelaire: A French poet and art critic who advocated for modernism in art – stating
famously that art of the present should not be about the past. For ‘ Luxe, Calme et Volupte’
Matisse took inspiration from Baudelaire's poem "The Invitation to the Voyage". It was about an invitation to a loved one to a dreamland
where all is harmony and beauty, "luxury, tranquillity and delight". The picture and its title announce Matisse's arrival at his own vision of art.
Gaugin: Clashing colour patches and flattening of space
Andre Derain+ Vlaminck: Served as Matisse’s muse and together through their unconventional use of paint (putting it directly on the canvas)
they founded the art style Fauvism. Vlaminck introduced both Derain and Matisse to ‘primitivism’.
Manet
Rodin The ways in which Rodin fragmented the human figure
ARTISTIC/CULTRAL INSPIRATION
Post- Impressionism/ Neo-Impressionism – influenced his use of more saturated colour, Matisse was an exponent of this art style in his early
years as a painter and this style informed his technical abilities and use of colour theory.
Fauvism (wild beasts – named by Louis Vauxcelles) A separation of colour and subject, devoid of realistic representation – colour depended
on what best suited the composition of the work, and this gave way to a greater freedom in it’s uses in Matisse’s work.
Expressionism – in ‘Notes of a painter’, Matisse clarified his primary interest in expression. He believed it was prominent in every aspect of an
image from it’s figures, to the space around them, to their proportions.
,Cubism The use of multiple perspectives, whilst primarily taken from Cezanne was also heavily influenced by cubism, due to Matisse’s artistic
rivalry with Picasso.
Aestheticism: the late 19tth century movement that began to emphasise aesthetic value of art over their socio-political function
African Masks and sculpture: After a trip to Algeria in 1906, Matisse became interested in African art and in how mask makers would simplify
the face – never took direct motifs but rather the idea of simplification in connection to power. He applied this simplification to figures by
conveying what was essential in the depiction of the sitter rather the powerful realism favoured at the time. He was also drawn to the idea
symbolism played over an idealized beauty in these masks and sculptures – as they often had many malformations.
Islamic pattern and design, Oriental Fabrics and Ceramics: Inspired many of his interiors in his nice period.
Moroccan art: after visiting the largest exhibition of Islamic art in Munich in 1910, he spent two months in Spain studying Moorish art
Nature: Matisse’s work consistently came from direct observations from nature
The nude: saw it as an arrangement of forms that he could simplify and style
Chinese Calligraphy + African Kuba textiles -shaped his paper cut outs and the language of simplified design that went with them
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL INFLUENCES
The development of Travel and Transport: allowed Matisse reap inspiration from other cultures
1895 French West Africa: French colonisation of west Africa gave way to a wave of imported African artefacts that were made accessible
through the French ethnographic museum.
WW1: Matisse despite being too old to fight felt great anxiety during the war. The frontlines were close to his childhood home and his mother
was in German controlled territory. His anxieties were reflective in his muted colour pallet, more angular lines, and more sombre subject
matter. Figuration became secondary with Matisse condensing his work down to more simplified forms. Despite the seemingly sombre effect
of WW1 Matisse denied this and stated that he was ‘re-appropriating black as the colour of life’.
WW2: Matisse’s daughter, a communist and member of the French resistance, was captured by the Gestapo and tortured but managed to
escape.
In terms of Fauvism, it had no political or social agenda – so the works of art during Matisse’s Fauvist period can be deemed as only very
implicitly informed by it
PATRONS AND DEALERS
Matisse’s work coincided with the advent of the art collector. There was a new wave of private art collectors, characterised by
wealth and cultural knowledge which by this time, was slowly overtaking the traditional patronage of the church and state.
Sergei Shulkin: from 1908 A Russian textile merchant, and an avid supporter of Matisse’s work and modernism – specifically his expressionist
paintings. Commissioned work often eg. Dance and music
Ivan Morosov: from 1912 also a Russian textile merchant
Ambriose Vollard: Supported Matisse significantly
Steins!!!!!!!! Extremely significant in defining Matisse’s career and not only acted as prominent patrons of his work, but also introduced him
to many of his contemporaries including Picasso – whom Matisse formed a lifelong friendship and rivalry with.
Gertrude Stein: favoured Picasso but heavily supported Matisse
Leo Stein: was Matisse’s friend, admirer and patron
Michael Stein’s wife – Sarah Stein: Her collection specifically emphasised Matisse and in comparison, to her husbands and his siblings, she was
one of the artist most ardent patrons.
Baltimore - The Cone sisters: from 1906
Dr Albert Barnes: An eccentric collector of modernism. Barnes commissioned a mural from Matisse and due to measurement errors in the
plans, Matisse devised a new way of composing scaled up work, in the form of cut outs. This lay the foundation for his later work in paper cut
outs.
CRITICAL QUOTES
Camille Mauclai "A pot of paint has been flung in the face of the public”
Thomas Craven: “ bourgeois patterns devoid of human meaning”
Leo Stein: “the nastiest smear of paint I had ever seen” [woman with a hat]
, Louis Vauxcelles: 1907: (about blue nude) “a nude woman, ugly, spread out on opaque blue grass”
Matisse: “If I met such a woman in the street, I should run away in terror. I do not create a woman I create a picture”
Style and Technique: BALANCE, PURITY AND SCERENETY
EXPRESSION LIES IN EVERY ASPECT OF A PAINTING!!! – a composition to Matisse is ‘the decorative arrangement of the elements
at the painters command to express his feeling on his subject’ – therefore it was Matisse’s belief that these arrangements must
undergo scrutiny and anything in excess must be removed as they may act as distractions from the emotive core of the
composition.
He’s stated that when he works on an image the first thing, he does is record his superficial sensations on the subject – setting
the foundations of thought and a deepening of feeling towards his subjects if deemed necessary. This scrutiny – termed by
Matisse as ‘condensation of sensation’ was developed throughout his career and in fact Matisse is considerably critical of his
earlier works which in his own words he sees as being rendered from an ‘embarrassing state of over-excitement’. This superficial
and excitable impression is reworked continuously until it is imbedded in a serene and broader composition, resulting in a
profoundly simplified composition and form.
Matisse’s subject matter consists of the still life, portraiture, and landscapes; however, figure and the nude remain the
cornerstone of his work. For Matisse, the human form allows him to express his “almost religious awe towards life” and a
virtually endless depth of exploration into expression within its formal qualities, reaching a deeper sense of beauty.
In terms of reality, unlike his predecessors the impressionists, Matisse did not believe that reality lay in harnessing a fleeting
moment but rather he argued that an artist should look for an underlying truth which denotes the true reality. Motion is
meaningless without context of how and why the motion is created and through that rhetoric Matisse uses his paintings to
condense ‘underlying truth’ within one plane. He uses colour as a vehicle of abstraction and in many of his paintings he uses
colours to denote geographical locations rather than adopting naturalism.
Matisse brings focus to a specific area of his works through alteration, usually by colour, to emphasise a specific area’s
importance and enhance clarity, preventing it from being lost in the overall composition. In colour, this process of focusing
requires balancing of tones to reinforce one another and the use of harmonious and discordant colours encourages the playful
viewing of an image enhancing it’s positive associations. Despite once being an avid follower of colour theory, Matisse chiefly
uses colours based on their expressive quality, and the emotion they bring out in him as he found colour theory too limiting. He
liked his art to seem effortless to create a sense of spontaneity and fluidity – showing an emphasis on emotion and life. Whilst
Matisse emphasised emotion – this emotion was primarily used to reinforce happy emotions rather than dwell on the sad – a
sort of form of escapism.
Balance = reworking and harmonising elements of the painting, form, line colour ect
Purity = refinement of observations, from that initial impression down to the ‘condensed sensation’ which represents his
feelings and ideas – removing any excess elements of the composition
Serenity = Matisse’s preference of a calm subject matter – creates a soothing atmosphere
Features of Matisse’s Art
Quest for an idyllic paradise
Use of complementary colours
Appeal for completive relaxation
Complex construction of pictorial space
Further Matisse summary
loved to explore the expressive potential of colour and its relation to form
colours are emotions, not reality
famous for decorative style, expressive forms, bold use of colour
make art, don’t imitate nature
Features of Fauvism:
ART STYLE CHANGE TIMELINE
1890: Matisse’s early work consisted of very conservative still lives in a strikingly conventional academic style – focusing on
mimicking 17th century Dutch oil paintings
