Pictures of Matisse. French artist Henri Matisse

The famous French artist Matisse lived a long life, for which he created many paintings, graphic works, sculptural compositions from ceramics and panels, including decoupage techniques. His work was appreciated by his contemporaries all over the world, although often his innovative methods became the cause of fierce disputes.

Youth

Henri Matisse was born in the north of France in 1869 in the family of a prosperous grain merchant. He inherited the love of art from his mother, who was fond of the art of ceramics. Although, according to tradition, it was Henri (as the eldest son) who was to lead the family business, after graduating from the Lyceum Henri Martin in St. Cantin, he went to the capital to study law at the famous School of Law. In 1888, Matisse received a diploma in law and, returning to his hometown, began to work as a clerk with a local attorney.

The first steps in art

Probably, Matisse would have made a good career in law, had it not been for the case. The fact is that in 1889 the young man got into the hospital with a sharp attack of appendicitis and was forced to spend there a long two months of postoperative period. To entertain her son, Madame Matisse gave him watercolors, and he began to spend time copying colored postcards. This occupation attracted the young man so much that after discharge from the hospital he told his parents about his firm intention to become an artist. Despite his father's resistance, Henri enrolled in the drawing school in Tours, where drafters were trained to work in the textile industry. At the same time he continued to practice law.

Study in Paris

In 1892, Matisse decides to devote himself to painting. To this end, he again goes to Paris and enters the Academy of Julian, where he studies first at A. Bouguereau, and then at the School of Fine Arts at G. Moreau. The latter predicts his brilliant future and one of the first marks the innovation of the young artist, expressed in bold combinations of different colors. During this period, the artist Matisse often spends his days in the Louvre, copying the masterpieces of old masters and famous artists of the 19th century, which, according to him, made in old age, greatly helped the master in his further work.

Impressionist period

Since 1896, paintings by Matisse are beginning to be exhibited in the famous Paris salons, and he acquires a certain fame among Parisian art lovers. During this period, the artist is strongly influenced by the Impressionists and their followers. Moreover, very often, talking about the creations of the post-impressionists, experts also cite some of the works that Matisse created: still-lives "The Bottle of Schema", "Fruits and Coffee Pot", "Desert", "Crockery and Fruit".

In the next few years, the artist begins to engage in sculpture and work in the technique of divisionism, which involves the use of separate dot smears. In 1905, a great controversy is caused by the manner of writing Matisse's painting "Luxury, Peace and Lust", in which he combines the modernist decorativism with pointillism.

Fauvism

Considering the work of Matisse, one can not fail to mention the new direction of painting, the ancestor of which became this artist. It's about Fauvism. About him as a very interesting phenomenon began to speak after the autumn Salon of 1905. For this exhibition, Matisse wrote several works, including the famous painting "Woman in a Green Hat". In addition, during the first decade of the 20th century, the artist became actively interested in African sculpture, Arabic decorative art and Japanese wood engraving, and soon ethnical motives begin to penetrate into his painting. However, this did not prevent experts from viewing the works of this period as an integral part of Fauvism.

"Matisse Academy"

In 1908 in Paris, the artist founded a private school of painting. It was called the "Matisse Academy", and during the time when he taught there, 100 students from France and other European countries graduated from it. Schooling was free, as the artist did not pursue commercial goals and only wanted to convey his vision of art to the younger generation.

In parallel with teaching Matisse painted pictures. So, he created three decorative panels for the Moscow house of the famous Russian collector SI Shchukin. In particular, his work "Dance", which can now be seen in the Hermitage, is considered one of the most famous works of the painter.

Creativity between two world wars

In 1920, the artist creates sketches of costumes and scenery for the ballet "Nightingale" I. Stravinsky and wrote the cycle "Odalisque" in imitation of Renoir. Pictures of Matisse of this period, in particular "Kompotnitsa and flowers", bring him fame in the circle of American art lovers. Ten years later, the artist goes to Tahiti, and then creates a panel depicting eight dancing figures for the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. In the process of working on sketches for this monumental work, he often uses the technique of decoupage. Then he gets acquainted with his main muse - Lydia Delektorskaya, the relationship with which is the cause of the divorce from Madame Matisse. Portraits of a young Russian emigrant, in which the artist expressed all the ardor of his late passion, now adorn the best museums in the world, they can be seen in Russia.

Life during the years of occupation

The Second World War became a serious test for Matisse. By the will of fate, he remains in Nice all alone, away from children, and his only consolation is Lydia Delectorskaya. Fortunately, the liberation of France by the Allies saves the daughter and former wife of the artist from death, who were detained by the Gestapo for anti-fascist activities.

"The Chapel of the Beads"

In 1948-1953 years. The artist is working on decorating the interior of the chapel of Roser in Vance. Today it is known as the "Chapel of the Beads". In this last work the master synthesized all the best that was in his work in previous years.

The walls of the chapel are covered with glazed white slabs, depicting Saint Dominic in the form of a figure without a face 4.5 meters high and the Holy Virgin with the baby Jesus. You can also see scenes of the Last Judgment, executed only with black paint, and the chapel is crowned with an image of the sky, over which the openwork cross hovers.

Features of creativity

Matisse's paintings were usually written in series, as the artist, striving for perfection, created several variants of the same work at once. The main themes of the works are dances, pastors, musical instruments, beautiful vases with succulent fruits, exotic vessels, carpets and variegated fabrics, as well as views from the window.

To convey pleasure from the color and beauty of external forms is the main goal pursued by Matisse. Pictures, whose names you already know, today are adornments of private collections and museums around the world, and also beat price records at auctions.

Works exhibited in museums of our country

Are you interested in the technique in which Matisse wrote? Pictures (with names, naturally) can be seen in Russia. In particular, several paintings by this artist, such as "Blue Pot and Lemon", "Tableware on the table", "View of the Collioure", etc., are exhibited in the Hermitage. In addition, in the Museum. Pushkin kept such works as "Red Fish" and "Blue Jug".