Henri Matisse

I adore Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and am especially fond of the work he created in the latter part of his life. When Matisse was no longer able to physically paint due to illness and arthritis he turned to creating collages from gouache painted paper. He would cut the forms out pin them to the wall until he was satisfied with the composition then he would glue them to paper. The following are some pieces that I have come upon recently that I had not seen before. The simple one with the heart is called Verve no. 23 and I have had a hard time finding information on this one so I am not quite sure if it is a cutout or not but I love it just the same. The photograph taken by the incredibly talented Cecil Beaton in the 1940's (he will require a separate post) is a photograph taken for Vogue magazine with the background created by Matisse. I would love to see the rest of that editorial!! Lastly, some images from one of his crowning achievements: The Chapel of Vence, also referred to as The Chapel of the Rosary or the Matisse Chapel. Matisse designed the entire chapel himself, from the glowing stain glass windows, to the altar and the paintings on the wall. The chapel is located in Nice,France. It has such a humble and understated elegance that I find truly beautiful...enjoy!