Who Was Henri Matisse?
Henri Matisse was a famous artist from the early twentieth century, part of what is known as the Modern art movement. He lived and died in France, and rubbed elbows with some of the most famous artists of his time, including Pablo Picasso and Georges Braques.
Early Life
Matisse was born to Emile Matisse and Héloise Gérars on December 31, 1869. He was raised in Bohain-en-Vermandois in France, where his parents owned a general store that specialized in seeds.
Getting Into Painting
After a surgery that left him bedridden for a short time, Matisse's mother bought him art supplies. He soon took it up as a vocation and left his law school pursuits.
Influence and Early Education
Matisse originally studied under Gustave Moreau, a Symbolist painter. During this time, he studied the work of Chardin, and began to understand what he referred to as "colour theory" after visiting Vincent Van Gogh, who was then an unknown artist.
The Wild Beasts
Matisse's work was originally controversial, and at times considered an insult to the Parisian art scene. The famous modern writer Gertrude Stein, along with her brother, purchased one of Matisse's paintings during this time, called "Woman with a Hat". This aided Matisse's ego greatly, because at the time the press was referring to him and his counterparts as "Les Fauves"--the wild beasts.
Stein, Toklas and Picasso
Living in Paris in the early 1900s was a very exciting time to be an artist. Matisse soon became friendly with the world's brightest Modern thinkers and artists. Introduced by writer Gertrude Stein and her partner Alice B. Toklas, Matisse befriended the young and passionate Pablo Picasso in 1904. Matisse was 35 and Picasso was 22 at the time.
Atelier Matisse
In 1908, Matisse started an art school where he taught his painting techniques.
Leaving Paris
In the later part of his life, Matisse left Paris, and lived just outside of Nice in the south of France. There he began working with collage. He died on November 3, 1954. He was 84.
