Henri Matisse – Biography, Fauvism Art Movement

The turn of the 20th century was a tumultuous time, technology was advancing rapidly, and the world was on the brink of the first World War. During this period, artist Henri Matisse became a revolutionary figure and helped usher in a new age of art style – the Fauvist movement.

Matisse worked in all kinds of mediums, but it was in painting and drawing that he made his indelible mark in the world.

Biography

Early Life and Education

As with most classical artists, Matisse had a relatively simple life while growing up. He was born in 1869 in Northern France, meaning that rural life was pretty much his only option.

Matisse’s family owned a grain farm, so he spent most of his adolescence helping out on the farm and doing chores. As he got older, Matisse became a legal clerk and moved to Paris to study law in 1887.

Although he was setting himself on a legal career path, Matisse was passionate about the arts.

After graduating with a law degree, Matisse returned to the town of Saint-Quentin to work at a small firm. He started taking drawing classes in the mornings on his way to the office, which is where his artistic traits began to surface.

Finally, when he was 21, Matisse came down with appendicitis. Because he was in bed for weeks, his mother decided to bring him art supplies.

During his recovery, Matisse knew that his career in law was over, and his artistic career was about to begin.

Despite his father’s protests, Matisse decided to go all-in on his artwork and moved back to Paris in 1891.

In Paris, Matisse studied at the Julian Academy, where he learned at the feet of William-Adolphe Bouguereau, a prolific academic painter of the time.

Matisse also studied at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts with Gustave Moreau. While Bouguereau was more of a traditionalist, Moreau was a pioneer in the symbolism movement.

In the beginning, Matisse was also a traditionalist, focusing on still life paintings and landscapes. At the time, he was deeply absorbed in the arts, but he wasn’t revolutionizing the art world.

That would all change in 1896 when Matisse visited contemporary artist John Russell. Russell was a good friend of Vincent Van Gogh and showed Matisse some of Van Gogh’s work with impressionism.

This meeting seemed to have left an impression on Matisse, as his style shifted entirely afterward. Russell taught him a different way to look at colors.

Fauvism

After switching from traditional earthy colors to bright, bold pastels, Matisse became a pioneer of the Fauvist movement.

As far as art movements go, this one was pretty short, lasting only from 1900 to 1910. There were only three official Fauvist exhibitions during this period.

Fauvist art eschewed lifelike colors for more symbolic ones. Although the subjects were rendered in relative realism, the color scheme was completely bold and exciting.

One can notice this in the painting Les Toits de Collioure (1905). Matisse drew the buildings in shades of red, pink, purple, and blue, giving the piece a somewhat surreal yet vibrant vibe.

Because Fauvism was such a short-lived movement, Matisse eventually moved on, particularly after meeting, at that time, a young artist named Pablo Picasso.

Aesthetically, Picasso and Matisse are poles apart. But the two were friendly rivals and were often compared, thanks to Matisse’s simple yet bold lines and colors.

Famous Works

Portrait of a Young Girl

This piece is part of a series of portraits, all done in a similar style. Rather than replicate the person’s appearance and coloration exactly, Matisse chose to capture their essence.

The lines are simple yet evocative. While you may not be able to pick the real girl out of a lineup, you get a sense of her youthful energy.

This portrait was completed in 1954, the year that Matisse died.

Annelise White Tulips

In 1941, Matisse was diagnosed with cancer. Due to his illness, he would eventually stop painting and start working with cutouts and lithographs (like the Portrait of a Young Girl, above).

Annelise White Tulips marks one of the last oil paintings of his career, making it extra-special for collectors and Matisse aficionados.

The painting is from 1944, and it depicts a young woman sitting at a table, reading. Accompanying her are some white tulips and colored flowers that sit in bronze or brass vases.

Her expression is almost of bemusement as if Matisse interrupted her reading to do a quick portrait. As with his earlier works, the piece celebrates bright, bold colors instead of realistic ones.

However, the color palette is closer to reality. We have to imagine that the room’s blue hues were stunning in real life.

Pierre a Feu

This piece is similar to the Portrait of a Young Girl, although it predates the latter by about seven years.

Matisse did a series of 950 drawings and paintings in a collection called Pierre a Feu. Many of the pieces in the group have a similar style, with long strokes and a playful atmosphere.

Like his contemporaries, Matisse particularly loved drawing and painting women since their delicate features translated well to his artistic style and vision.

Once again, Matisse trades realism for pseudo-impressionism via drawing. This model looks a bit coy as if she’s hiding a secret or holding back her affection for someone.

La Cite – Notre Dame

During the 1930s, Matisse started to create simpler artworks that would become hallmarks of his creative style. This piece is a landscape of Notre Dame as seen from Matisse’s room somewhere in the city.

Despite the tree in the foreground, the twin towers of the cathedral are looming over the picture, illustrating their impact on Paris.

La Cite – Notre Dame is part of a collection of 200 pieces, most of which are in a similar style. So, if you want to view Paris from a new perspective, you can’t do much better than Matisse.

If you are looking for artwork by Henri Matisse, call us now on 267-687-8378 or leave an inquiry on Dane Fine Art. We are happy to help you find the artwork you are looking for.