henri
matisse |
"What
I dream of is an art of balance, of
purity and serenity devoid of troubling
or disturbing subject-matter... like
a comforting influence, a mental balm
- something like a good armchair in
which one rests from physical fatigue."
Henri Matisse.
Matisse began by studying law in Paris
but by 1891 had taken up art instead,
becoming a student at the Académie
Julian in Paris under Bouguereau.
He left a year later, however, displeased
with Bougereau's teaching, and unofficially
joined the Ecole des Beaux-Arts studying
with Rouault, Piot, Guerin and Bussy
amongst others. By 1896 Matisse had
four of his paintings accepted for
exhibition at the Salon du Champ-de-Mars,
he sold two of them. A year later
he saw the work of Camille Pissarro
and van Gogh and was deeply impressed.
In 1900 Matisse had fallen on hard
times and had to paint exhibition
decorations at the Grand Palais to
make a living. He continued with his
painting, however, and, after having
experimented with still-lifes and
landscapes in the late-Nineties turned
to Neo-Impressionism and produced
one of his first major works in 1905.
'Luxe, calme et volupte' (1904-1905)
was exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants
and bought by Signac. In the same
year Matisse and his friends caused
a sensation at the Salon d'Automne
giving rise to the name, 'Fauves'.
He also found himself important patrons
in the American Steins thus solving
his financial difficulties. |