Grades 7-12 Pre-gallery visit activities Meet the Artist: Henri Matisse

Warm up questions Who was Henri Matisse? What do you already know about the artist? What would you like to find out about the artist or his work?

Who was Henri Matisse? Henri Matisse was a painter, printmaker, sculptor and graphic designer. He was born in Cateau-Cambrésis in the north of France in 1869, but spent a big part of his life in Nice, in the south of France, where he died in Matisse was the principal protagonist of Fauvism, the first avant-garde movement at the turn of the century. Cateau-Cambrésis Nice Matisse was primarily known as a painter, but the AGA exhibition Henri Matisse: A Celebration of Light and Line highlights his drawing and prints, two important processes in his art making.

Why does Matisse use such vivid colours in his artwork? How did Matisse influence the art and culture of his time? What is fauvism? Woman in a Purple Coat, 1937 Matisse and Colour

Matisse and Line Why does Matisse favour black and white over colour in his prints? How does Matisse emphasize line? What kinds of printmaking techniques does Matisse use? Nadia with Pointed Chin, 1948 Nadia in sharp profile, 1948 Nadia with a Serious Expression, 1948

Gouache Cut-outs The Funeral of Pierrot from Jazz, 1947 How is this technique different from the previous two? These paper cut-outs were his final works, exerting a great influence on design for decades to come.

Image Sources Henri Matisse Femme au manteau violet (Woman in a Purple Coat) 1937 Oil on canvas 37 7/8 x 25 11/16 in. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Henri Matisse Nadia with a Serious Expression (Nadia au regard serieux), 1948 Lift-ground aquatint 345 x 278 mm. Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Duthuit 793 Henri Matisse Nadia with Pointed Chin (Nadia au menton pointu), 1948 Lift-ground aquatint Sheet: 660 x 500 mm. Plate: Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Collection: Promised gift to the Baltimore Museum of Art R Henri Matisse Nadia in sharp profile, (Nadia au profil aigu) 1948 Lift-ground aquatint 435 x 348 mm. Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Duthuit 810 Henri Matisse, French, The Funeral of Pierrot from Jazz, 1947 Color stencil (pochoir), 420 x 324 mm. (16 9/16 x 12 3/4 in.) The Baltimore Museum of Art: The Cone Collection, formed by Dr. Claribel Cone and Miss Etta Cone of Baltimore, Maryland BMA