Henri Matisse Biography
The French painter and sculptor Henri Matisse was born in Le Cateau-Cambrésis (France) on 31 December 1869: he lived during one of the periods full of tragic events in our history. Yet, in his work, there is no trace of the alienation, suffering, contradictions of our era: his paintings are a world apart, in which one finds relief, peace, refuge, calm, serenity, color and light. From 1895 to 1899 Matisse frequented Gustave Moreau's studio, studying the works of Manet and Cezanne and, influenced by the experiences of impressionism, in 1897 he created "La deserte". After some stays in England, Corsica and the Toulouse region, in 1902 he participated in some exhibitions at the B.Weil gallery in Paris, exhibiting, among other works, also "View of Notre Dame in the late afternoon" of 1902. In these years, from his in-depth study of neo-impressionist art and the discovery of African and Asian art, the "pure painting of the Fauves" was born, a new current of which Henri Matisse is the greatest interpreter. In 1941, coinciding with the outbreak of the Second World War, he painted the famous canvas "Still Life with Magnolia". In 1943 he settled in Vence, where he dedicated himself, in the years from 1949 to 1951, to the construction of the Dominican chapel of the Madonna del Rosario. Among his most important works are the "Blue Nude" of 1907, "The Dance" of 1908 and "The Dance and the Music" of 1910. The series of "Odalisques" is famous from his production in the 1920s. In the same years the artist also tried his hand at scenography, drawing and engraving; in the 1930s it also produced tapestries. There are also numerous works of bronze sculpture. Henri Matisse died in Nice on 3 November 1954.
