Henri Emile Benoit Matisse was born December 31, 1869, in Le Cateau-Cambresisi, in northern France, the son of a grain merchant. He studied law and became a law clerk, starting to paint during his convalescence after a serious illness when he was 21 years old. He attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was influenced by impressionists Pisarro, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Gauguin.
Matisse
...see more »'s style was characterized by bold vivid colors with broad brush strokes. In 1905 he became part of a group that became known as Les Fauves, that is translated 'The Wild Beasts'. 'The Joy of Life' was created during this time and is considered one of Matisse's best paintings and one of twentieth century art's best works. The writer Gertrude Stein was one of the early collectors of his art. Besides painting, Matisse also created sculpture, lithographs and book designs.
After World War I, Matisse received international acclaim as a recognized modern artist. He had moved to Nice in 1917 and remained there the rest of his life. He received the French Legion of Honor award in 1925. Abdominal surgery for cancer in 1941 left Matisse unable to stand up to paint, so he redirected his talent to vivid color paper cutouts that he could create while sitting. He also created designs for the Dominican Chapel in Vence, France and created stained glass for other chapels in France and New York.
Matisse died November 3, 1954 in Nice. The Matisse Museum was created in his birthplace of Le Cateau-Cambresisi and some of his works can still be seen there. His art can be found with private collectors, museums and galleries and art retailers around the world.
Recent prices for his artwork have continued to increase, with a nude from 1927 sold by Sotheby's for $16.5 million in 2006. Another work, 'Jeune fille au anémones sur fond violet', sold for EUR 4.6 million at Christie's Paris in December 2006. In 2000 and 2001, Matisse was considered the third biggest grossing artist on the market in 2006 with totals of $55 million and $78 million for combined artwork sales.
A partial list of Matisse works:
1901 La Coiffure (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
1904-5 Luxe, calme et volupté (Musée d'Orsay, Paris)
1905-6 Joy of Life (Barnes Foundation, Merion, Pennsylvania)
1907 The Blue Nude (Baltimore Museum of Art)
1909 The Dance (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
1911 Young Sailor II (Museum of Modern Art, New York city)
1911 View of Collioure and the Sea (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
1914 View of Notre Dame, Paris, Spring (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
1915-16 The Moroccans (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
1916 Gourds (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
1916-17 Bathers by a River (Art Institute of Chicago)
1917 The Rose Marble Table (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
1924 Pianist and Checker Players
1949-51 Chapelle du Rosaire (Vence, France)
1950 The Necklace (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
1953 L'Escargot (Tate, London)
Sculpture
1900-3 The Slave (Baltimore Museum of Art)
1909-c.1929 The Back I-IV (Tate, London, and elsewhere)
1930 Venus in a Shell, I (Museum of Modern Art, New York City)« see less
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