1. Matisse

2. March 1909-10, May – November 1913 and
The focus of our visit is the Art Institute of Chicago’s exhibit that opens March 20, 2010 called Matisse: Radical invention This image of Bathers by a River was painted from 1909, 1913 and then finished the summer of This exhibit examines a period in matisse’s work where he reworked pieces in response to outside influences that included other artists, movements and the war.
Bathers by a River
March , May – November 1913 and
Summer

3. Influences

4. Daniel Henry Kahnweiler
Pablo Picasso
1910
Daniel Henry Kahnweiler
Matisse and Picasso became friends in This cubist piece is one that Matisse drew ideas from in the reworking of his pieces. Picasso would be a big influence on matisse’s work throughout the rest of his career. The two truly admired each other and were considered the top artists in Paris at this time.

5. Gino Severini 1913 Festival in Monmarte
Futurism also interested Matisse. Futurism was an artistic and social movement that began in Italy in the early 20th century that expressed a distaste of the past. Futurism had from the outset admired violence and was intensely patriotic. The Futurist Manifesto had declared, "We will glorify war - the world's only hygiene - militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman."[8] Although it owed much of its character and some of its ideas to radical political movements, it was not much involved in politics until the autumn of 1913.[7] Then, fearing the re-election of Giolitti, Marinetti published a political manifesto. In 1914 the Futurists began to campaign actively against the Austro-Hungarian empire, which still controlled some Italian territories, and Italian neutrality between the major powers. In September, Boccioni, seated in the balcony of the Teatro dal Verme in Milan, tore up an Austrian flag and threw it into the audience, while Marinetti waved an Italian flag. When Italy entered the First World War in 1915, many Futurists enlisted.[9]
Gino Severini
1913
Festival in Monmarte

6. Abstraction (guitar and
Juan Gris
Abstraction (guitar and
Glass), 1913
This collage piece by Juan Gris shows the break up of planes using color and textures that can be seen in Bathers and other Matisse works.

7. Matisse

8. Henri Matisse is a french artist born
in His father was a grain merchant and
his mother a hat maker and china painter. His
interest in art did not come into play until
after he attended law school in 1887 then
worked as a clerk in a law firm until 1889.
His mother brought him some art supplies
during a period of convalescence following
an appendicitis attack. He discovered a
“kind of paradise” and decided to attend
art school. He father was not in favor of
this but then relented.

9. 1891 – Matisse studies art in Paris, first with two well known artist/teachers and then
finally at Ecole des Beaux Arts where he earns a reputation as the rebellious member of
the class
The Study of Gustav Moreau,
The Maid, 1896

10. 1905 – Matisse and other Fauve artists (wild ones) exhibit in a room at the Salon d’ Antomere
By this time his work demonstrates an interest in primitive art – he gets attacks on his works
. In 1906 he meets Picasso and they become great friends and rivals.
The green line, 1905
Pastoral 1905
Self-portrait 1900

11. Blue Nude 1905

12. Henri Matisse
1906
*The Geranium

13. Goldfish
1910

14. Dance II 1910
This was a two part commission of Russian art collector Sergei Shuhckin who would collect many of Matisse’s works.
Dance I 1910

15. The Casbah Door 1912

16. Matisse
During this period of reworking, Matisse spends winters in Morocco perfecting his color scheme under the Mediterranean sun but otherwise lives in Paris. The following pieces along with much more will be seen at the exhibit.

17. Moroccans 1916

18. The Piano Lesson 1916

19. Goldfish

20. Bathers on the River
1916

21. *Loretta with Cup of Coffee
Henri Matisse
*Loretta with Cup of Coffee
In 1917, Matisse moved to Nice. “A will to rhythmic abstraction was battling with my natural, innate desire for rich, warm, generous colors and forms” the artist said later of his shift away from his daunting studio practice.

22. Matisse divides his time between the south of France and Paris from 1920’s through 1939.
He paints, sculpts and designs stage sets and costumes for the ballet. He establishes new
relationships with two new American art collectors which bring him new commissions.
By 1930 his work shows bolder simplification.
Nude lying on her back 1927
Large reclining nude 1935
The Moorish floor 1921

23. La Perruche Et La Sirene
From 1941 until he dies at the age of 84 in 1954 his work simplifies even more as his health declines following the 1941 diagnosis of cancer. His has several surgeries in the next years and became confined to a wheel chair. This does not stop him, however, from continuing to work and find new avenues such as the stained glass panels representing St Dominique in the church at Assy. It is the interior decoration for the Dominican chapel of Notre Dame du Rosaire at Vence (1948 – 1951)
La Perruche Et La Sirene
1952

24. Matisse in 1952
Fall of Icarus 1943

25. working on the Chapelle du Rosaire
Matisse in 1951
working on the Chapelle du Rosaire

26. For more information and lots of images of Matisse’s work visit: