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Henri Matisse, celebrated as one of the most influential colorists of the 20th century, played a pivotal role in defining modern art. His career was marked by constant experimentation with various mediums, styles, and artistic movements, often inspired by the creative minds around him. Among his renowned works is Woman with a Hat (1905), a hallmark of the Fauvist movement in France. Beyond painting, Matisse also excelled in drawing, sculpture, and graphic art. Discover seven intriguing aspects of his artistic journey.
1. Henri Matisse pursued law and worked as a legal clerk.
Before becoming an iconic artist, Matisse initially aimed for a legal career. He studied law, passed the bar exam, and served as a clerk in a law firm. He balanced his legal duties with morning drawing classes. Despite his father’s hopes for him to inherit the family grain business, Matisse’s passion lay elsewhere.
2. Henri Matisse discovered his passion during recovery from appendicitis.
A bout of appendicitis in his youth altered Matisse’s life trajectory. Post-surgery, he spent months bedridden, and the monotony of recovery led his mother to gift him a paint set. This act ignited his love for art, which he described as feeling like "a kind of paradise." Inspired, he abandoned his legal career and his father’s expectations, relocating to Paris to dedicate himself to art.
3. Henri Matisse shared a competitive friendship with Pablo Picasso.
Matisse and Picasso first crossed paths at a gathering hosted by Gertrude Stein, a patron of both artists. Though their initial meeting was marked by mutual dislike, their respect for each other’s work grew into a lifelong, albeit competitive, friendship. Matisse likened their dynamic to a boxing match, and Picasso once remarked, "No one has ever scrutinized Matisse's paintings more than I; and no one has examined mine more than he."
4. Henri Matisse and his wife, Amélie, intertwined their personal and professional lives.
Matisse wed Amélie Parayre in 1898, the free-spirited daughter of a progressive educator. As Matisse’s fame for avant-garde art grew, Amélie took on roles as his muse, model, and manager. In 1935, Matisse engaged Russian refugee Lydia Delectorskaya as a model, fostering a profound artistic connection. This partnership sparked Amélie’s jealousy, leading to their separation in 1939. Delectorskaya later returned to Matisse, remaining by his side until his passing.
5. Henri Matisse pioneered the method of “painting with scissors.”
After undergoing surgery for abdominal cancer in 1941, Matisse’s mobility was restricted, but his creativity flourished. During his recovery, he invented the “painting with scissors” technique, cutting painted paper into forms and arranging them on walls. He meticulously adjusted and reworked these pieces until achieving his desired result.
6. Henri Matisse’s final masterpiece was a stained-glass window design.
Matisse’s last completed work before his death in 1954 was La Rosace, a circular stained-glass window [PDF]. Commissioned by future New York governor Nelson Rockefeller as a tribute to his mother, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, a devoted Matisse admirer, it was installed at the Union Church of Pocantico Hills in Tarrytown, New York, where it still stands today.
7. Henri Matisse’s daughter meticulously documented his artistic legacy.
Marguerite Duthuit, Matisse’s daughter with Caroline Joblaud, was born four years prior to his marriage to Amélie and frequently modeled for him. She also acted as his assistant and archivist. Following his death, Marguerite dedicated herself to creating a detailed catalog of Matisse’s works and documenting his creative process. She was nearing completion of this monumental project when she passed away from a heart attack at 87.
