Matisse Basic Art

Henri Matisse, 1869-1954: Master of Colour (Basic Art) Henri Matisses adventures in color and light constitute a landmark in the history of modern art. From his apprenticeship in the studio of Gustave Moreau to the paper cutouts of the 1950s, the stages of his journey represent a triumph of artistic research and resolution. More than 300 reproductions grace this volume. The text provides a fascination survey of a complex life that crossed the paths of many. Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is known not only as one of the most important French painters of the 20th century but also as co-founder and leading exponent of Fauvism. His work reflects an ongoing quest for the expressive power of pure, brilliant colors and simple forms; as a result, the realistic presentation of nature often retires to a secondary position. For Matisse, color did not serve as a tool for the expression of subjective feelings, but rather became the equivalent of light itself: it functioned as a pure medium in the creation of an autonomous pictorial space: Out of my fruitful work with discovered tones there must emerge a vital color harmony, a harmony that is analogous to a musical composition. As a creative artist, Matisse was not only a painter, but also experimented with other materials: he produced glass windows and theatre designs and created significant sculptures in bronze, ceramic and clay. In old age, confined to a wheelchair, he created collages with coloured paper, glue, and scissors: his famed gouache cut-outs.