French artist Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954) is, along with Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso (1881–1973), was a Spanish painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and resident in France from 1904. He was a dominant figure in avant-garde movements in the first half of the 20th century due to his technical versatility and prolific inventiveness. picasso-self-portrait Picasso’s progression in his early work is largely categorized by predominant colour schemes: His Blue Period (1901-1904) features motifs More, commonly regarded as pioneers in the revolutionary development of the visual arts in the 20th century. He was born to generations of weavers and raised in the northern French commune Bohain, famous for its luxury fabrics. The early exposure to textiles strongly shaped his visual language, his sense of colour and patterns.
After having studied law, Matisse decided to fully commit himself to paintingPainting is a fundamental form of visual art that has been practiced for thousands of years. It involves applying pigment to a surface such as canvas, paper, or a wall. Painting can be explored through various styles, techniques, and mediums, each offering unique possibilities for expression and creativity. Historical Background • Ancient Beginnings: The history of painting dates back to at the beginning of the century. His breakthrough in the arts came 1904 with his dynamic works of clashing colours, which had him derided with the epithet “Fauves” (wild beasts). The art movement known as FauvismThe Fauvism art movement applies to a group of modernist artists in the early 20th century including Henri Matisse and André Derain, who emphasized strong colour contrasts and painterly qualities with fierce brushwork over realistic values. Fauvism as a style started around 1904 and continued far beyond 1910. The group of Fauves however only worked together for the years between of this period determined the following stages of his career – from the abstract paintings in the 1910s to the more decorative interiors of the 1920s and the cut-outs art of his last years.