Inside Matisse

By Spatio Temprey

Matisse's profound impact on twentieth century art makes him essential to understanding the art of the present. His art conveys some of the most uplifting, life affirming imagery in western culture. At the same time it is among the most creative and influential.

This ebook povides an understanding of Henri Matisse and his revolutionary art to students and anyone who wants to understand and appreciate this outstanding and much loved artist. Discussion is focused around the keys to decoding Matisse and discovering where the art comes from. Selected works are analysed and discussed with reference to their meaning. Readers will gain essential insight and develop a sound understanding of Matisse's art, influences and art historical context.

Target reader: middle to upper secondary art student and anyone wants a sound introductory level insight into Matisse and fauvism. The book aims to convey the essence of its subject and promote a deep appreciation of the artist and his outstanding work.

Some features of this book

• a complete and concise account of Matisse and his art
• a core understanding of Matisse and his art
• selected high quality reproductions
• easy to read and follow with images discussed in context
• detailed analysis of art works with commentary about analysing artworks

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spatio Temprey
• Release date: Jul 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310591921

Spatio Temprey

My professional background is in art education. I have worked in secondary schools as well as a distance learning institution where I wrote and designed instructional materials. Educational qualifications: Dip Fine Art, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Arts (art history; philosophy), Master of Education (philosophy of education)

Book preview

Inside Matisse

By Spatio Temprey

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 Spatio Temprey

Smashwords Edition, License Notes. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright and the reproductions used in this ebook

The artworks reproduced in this publication are in the public domain under the Australian Copyright Act 1968, which includes the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement Amendments, because the creator died before 1 January 1955. While reasonable effort has been made to identify and acknowledge all sources in this ebook, any queries about omissions or errors are welcome.

The content of this publication has been created for educational purposes and is aimed at upper secondary school level. At the same time, it seeks to promote appreciation and understanding of art for the general interested reader.

About the author

Spatio Temprey (Dip. Fine Art, BEd, BA, Med) is an art educator with many years’ experience teaching upper secondary school, and in instructional design. The author has qualifications in art history and philosophy and a masters degree in education from the University of Western Australia.

Other books from this author on Smashwords

Manet’s Women

Through Colonial Eyes

Cover design with detail of Henri Matisse’s Blue nude with hair in the wind 1952

Contents

Introduction

Early works

Fauvism

Origins

Fauve works

Analysis of a Matisse painting

Drawing

Sculpture

Printmaking

Paper cutouts

About this ebook

Where the art comes from. This book aims to promote an understanding of Henri Matisse and his revolutionary art to students and anybody who wants to understand and appreciate this outstanding and much loved artist. This book focuses discussion around the keys to getting inside Matisse and discovering where the art comes from.

Introduction

Henri Matisse

Matisse’s stature in the development of 20th century art is of the highest rank

Pronounced ‘Onri Mateess.’

Born Henri Émile Benoît Matisse, Dec. 31, 1869, Le Cateau, Picardy, France. Died Nov. 3, 1954, Nice. Matisse is often regarded as the most important French painter of the 20th century.

Matisse was leader of the short lived fauve group and is regarded as one of the great formative figures, with Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp, in 20th century art and a master of the use of colour and form to convey emotional expression.

Matisse painting his model Henriette c. 1920

Although Matisse is known chiefly through his painting, including murals, he was also active in the art forms of sculpture, printmaking, drawing and collage (the cutouts). These areas of his practice are examined in some detail later in this book, with a section devoted to each studio area. This introduction is intended as a preliminary orientation through his painting, sculpture and cutouts.

Formative years

Discovered art as ‘a kind of paradise’

Born into a middle class family, Matisse studied and began to practice law. In 1890, during a lengthy recovery from appendicitis, he became intrigued by the practice of painting, later describing it as the discovery of ‘a kind of paradise.’ In 1892 he gave up his law career and went to Paris