Art · 1869–1954
Born: 31 December 1869 · Died: 3 November 1954 · Age at death: 84
Henri Matisse died aged 84. He was born on 31 December 1869 and died on 3 November 1954.
French artist and leader of Fauvism, famous for his bold colours, The Dance and his late paper cut-outs
Did you know?Late in life, when ill health prevented him from painting, he began creating large-scale artworks using paper cut-outs and scissors.
Matisse believed art should be like 'a good armchair', offering calm and joy to the viewer. Early in his career, he led the Fauves, or 'wild beasts', a group of painters who used shockingly bright, unnatural colours. His use of flat shapes and bold patterns made him one of the defining figures of modern art, alongside his friendly rival Pablo Picasso. Works such as The Dance show his ability to capture energy with remarkable simplicity. In his final years, he designed the Chapel of the Rosary in Vence, creating its stained glass, murals and even the priests' robes.
Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (French:; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter.
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Profile
French artist, born 1869
Henri Matisse was born in Le Cateau-Cambrésis on 31 December 1869.
He led the Fauves in 1905.
He painted The Dance in 1910.
He made paper cut-outs in old age.
Career highlights
Did you know?He turned to paper cut-outs after surgery left him in a wheelchair.
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