Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse, born in 1869 in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France, was a leading figure in the development of modern art in the early 20th century. Initially studying law, Matisse’s encounter with painting during a period of illness in 1889 marked the beginning of his artistic career. He moved to Paris in 1891 to study at the Académie Julian and later at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he honed his craft and developed a distinctively modern approach to art. Matisse’s early works were influenced by Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, particularly the colour theory of Paul Gauguin and the formal innovations of Paul Cézanne.

In 1905, Matisse became a central figure in the Fauvist movement, which rejected the muted tones of traditional academic painting in favour of vibrant, unmodulated colour. Fauvism was short-lived, but it had a lasting impact on Matisse, who continued to explore the expressive potential of colour throughout his career.

Matisse’s stylistic evolution is marked by an increasing emphasis on simplification and abstraction. In the 1910s, he began to focus more on the structural aspects of form, where colour and shape are used to create dynamic compositions that evoke movement and rhythm. His work during this period sought to remove superfluous detail, aiming for a purity of expression through colour and form.

In the 1940s, Matisse's health began to decline, but his creative output remained prolific. Forced to work from a wheelchair, Matisse developed his iconic cut-outs, where he used vibrant coloured paper to create abstract compositions of fluid forms.

Matisse’s influence on the course of modern art is immeasurable. His work profoundly impacted the development of abstraction and colour theory, and his innovative approach to form continues to resonate with contemporary artists. Matisse’s legacy as a master of colour and composition endures, with his work housed in major institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.