We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culture

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Who is Henri Matisse?

By J. Beam
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 12,144
Share

Henri Matisse was a French artist who is often regarded as the most influential French painter of the 20th century. Leading the Fauvist movement, Henri Matisse is well known for his use of vividly expressive color and has varied works and styles of art that span over half a century. With many of his works displayed in various museums, Henri Matisse is ranked amongst some of the greatest artists of all time including Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, and Michelangelo.

Henri Matisse was born in France in 1869. Despite the fact he studied law, he began painting in 1889 and decided to become an artist. Matisse was influenced by Impressionism and begun with still-lifes and landscapes. Henri Matisse sold his first paintings in 1896. During the early 1900s, Henri Matisse met Pablo Picasso, who became a friendly rival of sorts.

The work of Matisse and Picasso is often compared and though the main difference between the two is seen in Matisse’s painting of the real while Picasso often painted from his imagination, many critics believe Matisse had more dominance and control. Thus, though Matisse is credited with leading the Fauvist movement, many do not view him as wild and uncontrolled, as the term Les Fauves suggested.

In 1910, Henri Matisse’s Still Life with Geranium was the first of his paintings to be acquired by public collection and displayed in Pinakothek der Moderne, a modern art museum in Germany. In November of 2007, L’Odalisque, Harmonie Bleue, which Matisee painted in 1937 sold at an auction at Christie’s Rockefeller Center for $30 million (US Dollars), a record amount for a Henri Matisse work.

One of his final works, Le Bateau was reported to have been hung upside down on display at The Museum of Modern Art during an art exhibition honoring his last works. Matisse also published a book entitled Jazz, which contained paper collages and written thoughts of Matisse. In addition to painting and art, Matisse also worked as a graphic designer and illustrator during the 1940s. Henri Matisse lived to be 84 years old before he died of a heart attack in 1954. He is entombed alongside his wife, Noellie, in Cimiez, France.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/who-is-henri-matisse.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.