Henri MatisseBorn: December 31, 1869Died: November 3, 1954

Matisse’s Life Henri Matisse was born in France in 1869. He studied law in Paris, but in 1891 he

abandoned law and began studying art. When Henri Matisse was 21 years old he

became seriously ill. During the phase of convalescence Matisse

started painting and discovered his love for art, which should become his life-long passion.

He drew and painted in a daily routine every day, even from his sickbed.

Matisse’s Art His early works were

realistic figures and objects with shading and life-like colors.

Later, his colors brightened and his paintings became more abstract.

He was one of the founders of the Fauvist style of art Uses pure, vibrant

colors in unusual, unnatural ways.

Interior with Eggplants

What is your impression of this painting?

Matisse’s Art Matisse also

created stained glass, sculpture and cut-paper designs.

Matisse is one of the best-known artists of the 20th century.

Tiari (Le Tiaré), 1930 Bronze

Refers to the Tahitian gardenia, a lush and aromatic

tropical flower.

Do you see flowers or a woman?

Vocabulary Definitions

Still Life Art based on an arrangement of non-

moving, non-living objects, such as fruit, flowers or bottles. A still life is usually portrayed in an indoor setting.

Pure Colors Intense (spectral) colors seen in the

rainbow when light passes through a prism – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet.

Henri Matisse Interior at Collioure (1905)

What do you see in this painting?

How does contrast add drama to this piece?

How is the suggestion of distance achieved?

Henri Matisse’s Still Life with

Geraniums, 1910

Look at the pure colors in this painting. What

colors do you see?

Describe the intensity and values of the

colors.

Colors are related to feelings and moods. For example, blue is calm and relaxing, while reds, oranges

and yellows are exciting What is the mood or tone of this

painting?

Matisse’s Interior with Etruscan Vase, 1940 How does Matisse balance

this composition? Do lines play a major role

in this work? What was Matisse more

interested in, color or texture? Defend your answer.

Is there a center of interest?

How does contrast add drama to this piece?

How did Matisse keep the figure from blending in with the window?

Looking at the Art How does Matisse

balance this composition?

Do lines play a major role in this work?

What was Matisse more interested in, color or texture? Defend your answer.

Colors are related to feelings and moods. For example, blue is calm and relaxing, while reds, oranges and yellows are exciting What is the mood or tone of this painting?

How is the suggestion of distance achieved?

Matisse Quotes “A picture must possess a

real power to generate light and for a long time now I've been conscious of expressing myself through light or rather in light.”

“To find joy in the sky, the trees, the flowers… There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”

What We Will Be Doing

Draw the shapes in your still life using pencil. Your drawings should show only the main shapes without details.

You can stand up to paint and begin painting the largest shapes first with large brushes.

Paint the basic colors of your objects first, then mix variations of that color for highlights and shadows.

Use small brushes last for fine lines or details. Think about your style of painting

Do you allow some of your brushstrokes to show or carefully blend related colors?

Some artists squint at their work to see how colors and brushstrokes look from a distance.