Henri Mattisse (1869-1952) is heralded as one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Over a six-decade career, he fashioned colorful paintings that expressed vibrant emotions. After being raised in a small industrial town in France and obtaining a law degree, he moved to Paris in 1891 for instruction from famous, older artists. Matisse turned his artistic career around in 1905 with Open Window, Collioure and Woman with a Hat which were showcased in a Paris exhibition.
Painting in a style called Fauvism, he excelled with Joy of Life, a large painting of female nudes in a colorful forest. Matisse hit high stride in his creations during the 1910s and the 1920s with a radical approach to color and form. Yet he appealed to traditionalists with paintings of his studio, a wide variety of portraits, and landscapes. From 1918 - 1930, the artist dreamed up staged settings for depicting more female nudes. Near the end of his illustrious career, Mattise was known for his printmaking, an avant-garde 1947 book called Jazz, and decorations and installations for the Chapel of the Rosary in Venice.
This DVD is part of Kultur International Films series "Artists of the 20th Century."
