Henri Matisse, Self-Portrait.
Henri Matisse was a French painter, draftsman, sculptor, and printmaker. He is well known for his bold use of color. At the age of 18, he went to study law, working as a court administrator. His study of law was interrupted by appendicitis. While he was recovering, his his mother gave him paints and an easel to pass the time. He soon began drawing and decided to leave law school to pursue a new career in art.
Henri Matisse, Still Life with Books and Candle, 1890.
In 1897 and 1898, he visited his friend, painter John Peter Russell, at the island of Belle Ile. He was introduced to the works of Vincent Van Gogh (who was practically unknown at the time), This new influence and his time with his friend inspired a change in his style. A lover of all art, Henri immersed himself in the work of his fellow painters, often getting himself into debt buying their artworks. He was inspired by the work of other artists as well, drawing inspiration from such varied sources as Japanese art, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Pointillism.
Henri Matisse, Farms in Brittany, Belle Ile.,1897.
His work, characterized as “fauvre,” or wild, often met with harsh criticism. This negative publicity made it hard for him to provide for his wife and children. His work was so hated by some that his painting the Blue Nude was burned at the Armory Exhibition in Chicago in 1913. Although he had many harsh critics, he also had loving followers, including Gertrude Stein and her family. Throughout the years of 1907-1911, his friends organized and financed an art school, Academie Matisse, in which Matisse could instruct young artists.
Henri Matisse, Blue Nude, 1952.
Henri Matisse, The King’s Sadness. 1952.
In his later life, Matisse, who was partially reliant on a wheelchair, continued his artistic endeavors in creating cut paper collages, and working as a graphic artist. He also published Jazz in 1947, a collection of his printed and written works. Before his death of a heart attack, he established a museum of his own works, which has helped establish his legacy as a leading figure in the modern art movement.
Henri Matisse, The Snail. 1952.
Henri Matisse, La Gerbe. 1953.
Henri Matisse, Cut Outs.