Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954) was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Celebrated for his use of unmodulated color, inventive figuration, and ornamental patterns, Matisse’s work...
Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954) was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Celebrated for his use of unmodulated color, inventive figuration, and ornamental patterns, Matisse’s work redefined the formal principles of painting. Throughout his long career as a painter, sculptor, draftsman, and printmaker, Matisse was always striving to distill a form to its essentials. While he continually achieved this in what looked like an effortless manner, Matisse explained it was only an ‘apparent simplicity.’ He worked laboriously in achieving the balance, purity, and serenity encapsulated in his work. From ink drawings with flowing lines and dynamically colored paintings to innovative paper cut-outs, Matisse’s creativity extended across mediums all the while keeping to his ingenious forms and use of color. He has work in the permanent collections of many institutions, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Musée Matisse in Nice.