 ARTIST OF THE WEEK

 1869 – 1954  Born in northern France, the son of a grain merchant, he studied for a career in law.  At the age of 21, while recovering from appendicitis, his mother bought him a box of paints and he was instantly intrigued. – He left his law studies, went to Paris, and began studying art.

 His early work consisted of traditional landscapes and still lifes, but after discovering Impressionism and the work of Van Gogh, Matisse began experimenting with brighter colors and styles. Open Window, 1905

 He began painting and exhibiting work with a group of artists in Paris. Their work went against the traditional art that was being shown in Paris at the time(Represented the natural world). Their paintings really shocked viewers at first, not because of their subject matter but because they were created with deliberately unnatural colors and combinations. – Especially Matisse’s  Visitors and Art Critics who came to the exhibits commented that the artists painted like “wild beasts”, unintentionally giving their new style its name: FAUVISM.  Matisse became the recognized leader of the group.

The Dessert, Harmony in Red, 1908 Green Stripe (Madame Matisse), 1905 MATISSE

 Matisse continued to be inspired by colors and now patterns and textures from other cultures.  He posed his models amongst brightly colored textiles to capture the viewers attention. His work portrayed emotions of happiness or calmness.  In his paintings, every element has a function, but the most important was always color. Yellow Odalisque, 1937

 was diagnosed with cancer.  Was unable to create the type of artwork that he was accustomed to. – He had to find a new way to create art.  He began creating “paper cut-outs”

 Open Window, 1905  Green Stripe (Madame Matisse), 1905  The Dessert, Harmony in Red, 1908  Yellow Odalisque, 1937