Henri Matisse

Henri-Émile-Benoît Matisse (French: 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French artist, known for both his use of color and his fluid and original draftsmanship. He was a draftsman, printmaker and a sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter. He first started to paint in 1889, after his mother brought him art supplies during a period of convalescence following an attack of appendicitis. He discovered "a kind of paradise" as he later described it, and decided to become an artist.

Early Paintings Vase of Sunflowers (1898) Fruit and Coffeepot (1898)

His work evolved over the years Woman with a hat Self Portrait The Blue Window

Sculpture

His Final Years Diagnosed with abdominal cancer in 1941, Matisse underwent surgery that left him chair and bed bound. Painting and sculpture had become physical challenges, so he turned to a new type of medium. With the help of his assistants, he began creating cut paper collages (decoupage). He would cut sheets of paper into shapes of varying colors and sizes, and arrange them to form lively compositions. The result was a distinct and dimensional complexity—an art form that was not quite painting, but not quite sculpture.

The Cut-Outs

Your Turn! Cut out shapes in construction or tissue paper. Use Geometric, Organic, Positive or Negative, or Abstract shapes! Be creative…. You can even put your name into your project, like this: