Henri Matisse was a French painter who was the leading pioneer of the Fauvism movement. He was born in Picardy on 31 December 1869 and initially studied Law in Paris. The year Matisse returned to San Quentin, he contracted appendicitis and began to paint. In 1891, Matisse moved to Paris to study art, first in the studio of Gustave Moreau, before finally getting accepted into the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1895.
Following the 1905 exhibition of the new style of coloring, Matisse became known as the leader of the Fauves. However, a couple of years later, many artists, including Matisse, abandoned the techniques of the movement. Matisse started focusing more on sculpting and teaching art, and his later works involved human depiction with Eastern motifs.
Matisse died on 3 November 1954 after suffering a heart attack.
What was Henri Matisse Known For?
Henri Matisse created art with pure, unfiltered colors and bright light. Hence, he became the leader of the Fauvism movement. Despite his interest in Cubism and friendship with associated artists, Matisse stuck to creating forms out of color. His art was instrumental in the development of decorative art.
Who was Henri Matisse Influenced By?
Gustave Moreau influenced Henri Matisse. In 1892, Matisse enrolled in the studio of Moreau after his application to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts was rejected. Moreau was renowned for teaching his students the importance of expressively applying color and impacted Matisse’s painting style.
What Art Movement was Henri Matisse Associated With?
Henri Matisse was associated with the Fauvism art movement. Influenced by the teachings of Moreau, Matisse learned the application of unmodulated colors and the white of the canvas to build forms and represent natural light, leading to the creation of the Fauvism movement.
Henri Matisse Artwork
Matisse’s artworks are in the collections of several prestigious galleries and institutions. Below are some of them
