Matisse

Questioning the power of images was central to Henri Matisse's (1869–1954) approach. Breaking with the Western tradition of figurative art, he saw paintings as living, stimulating environments, a presence rather than a representation. The narrative element, the subject, is of little importance, even if certain themes emerge, such as windows, studios, odalisques and goldfish. For Matisse's world does not belong to reality; it is a permanent reverie, constantly reactivated by the gaze that falls upon it, and this elusive mobility is undoubtedly what makes it so relevant today.

Drawing on new interpretative approaches, this monograph addresses the role of biography and creative exchanges within the avant-garde, dialogues with art traditions in Europe and beyond, through African, Islamic and Asian objects, the impact of the studio environment in Paris and Nice, issues of gender and sexuality, and the architectural and decorative ambitions of painting. Paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings, cut-outs, illustrations, theatre sets and costume designs, textiles, ceramics and stained glass—more than 300 works, illuminated by the artist's writings, demonstrate the artist's invaluable contribution to 20th-century art.