The name of Henri Matisse is one of those widely associated with 20th century painting, as one of the main representatives of this art in those times and, as if the foregoing were not enough, also as the father of a particular current, the recognized “Fauvism”.
However, Matisse’s legacy does not only remain in painting, but he also ventured into other fields such as drawing, collage, sculpture and lithography , a background such that he is considered one of the most versatile artists of the world. history, and therefore so much tribute.
On this particular occasion, the idea is to analyze the biography and works of this character born in 1869 in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, called Henri Émile Benoît Matisse on the day of his birth, and who would die at 84 years of age in France, more specifically in the city of Nice.
One of the most striking facts about Matisse’s life is that, unlike many other geniuses of the time, he did not become interested in painting until he was 21 years old, as a consequence of the fact that, until that moment, he was immersed in study and law practice in Paris.
It was then that he discovered that art was his thing, and after abandoning the law, he began to train at the Julian Academy, moving after a few years to the School of Fine Arts, a space where he began his prolific collaboration with the symbolist painter Gustav Moreau.
Various techniques
In his early days, Matisse quickly broke away from the prevailing traditional patterns, and began to experiment with various impressionist and neo-impressionist techniques , which earned him the friendship of Marquet and Derain and Vlaminck, among others.
Before the end of the first decade of the last century, Matisse was already rubbing shoulders with artistic celebrities, traveling throughout the European continent and exhibiting his works, which reached such popularity among young people that he led him to create his own school.
Various styles
From then on, Matisse will oscillate between different styles, with a fleeting passage through Picasso’s cubism, and he continues to be one of the most requested by patrons from all over the world.
During a stay in the United States, Matisse would be unable to move on his own , having to use a wheelchair to get around, although that never prevented him from continuing with his works, such as “Blue Nude”, two years before his death in 1954.
Current museum
Today, it is possible to visit the Matisse Museum in his birth town, Le Cateau-Cambrésis, attending there other classics by the author, such as “The Red Room” and “The Dance”.
