How Matisse Revolutionized Color In Art

Summary

This video explores the revolutionary use of color by French artist Henri Matisse, tracing his journey from traditional paintings like 'The Dinner Table' (1896) to his bold Fauvist works like 'Open Window' (1905) and 'Dance' (1910). The public and critics initially rejected Matisse's vibrant, emotional use of color, but collectors like the Steins and Sergey Shchukin recognized his genius. The video highlights Matisse's defiance of artistic norms, his evolution in style, and how his innovative approach to color reshaped modern art. It concludes with an appreciation of his legacy and influence on 20th-century painting.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The two paintings by Henri Matisse, 'The Dinner Table' (1896) and 'Open Window, Collioure' (1905), show a dramatic evolution in his use of color.
• 🖌️ Matisse's painting style evolved from more traditional, representational colors in the 1890s to bold, expressive use of color in the early 1900s.
• 😲 Matisse's 'Dance' (1910) was initially met with public outrage, drawing harsh criticism at the 1910 Autumn Salon in Paris.
• 🤬 Many of Matisse's works, including 'Open Window' and 'Woman with a Hat,' were mocked by the public and critics in 1905.
• 🐾 The term 'Fauvism' came from critic Louis Vauxcelles, who disparaged Matisse and his peers as 'wild beasts' for their revolutionary use of color.
• 🏖️ Matisse’s trip to Corsica in 1898 was a turning point, where he started to explore the emotional and personal use of color, inspired by the Impressionists.
• 🔵 By 1904, Matisse’s colors exploded, with his painting 'Luxury, Calm and Voluptuousness' embodying his departure from representational colors.
• 📐 The influence of Neo-Impressionism and Divisionism, particularly from Paul Signac, helped Matisse develop his own unique style of color expression.
• 💥 Matisse described color as 'sticks of dynamite,' liberating it to express emotion rather than simply depicting reality.
• 💃 Matisse’s painting 'Dance' used simple colors and forms to express energy and primal movement, a radical departure from traditional Western art.

Q & A

What is the name of the painting on the left in the video?

The painting on the left is called 'The Dinner Table'.

In which year was 'The Dinner Table' painted?

The painting 'The Dinner Table' was painted in 1896.

What is the name of the painting on the right in the video?

The painting on the right is called 'Open Window, Cure'.

How did the public react to Matisse's painting 'Dance' when it was first exhibited?

The public reacted negatively to Matisse's painting 'Dance', with many shouting insults, jeering, laughing, and mocking at it.

What was the term used by critic Louis Vauxcelles to describe Matisse and other painters who used color in a new way?

Critic Louis Vauxcelles referred to Matisse and other painters who used color in a new way as 'wild beasts' or 'fauves' in French.

What style of painting was born from Matisse's and other artists' use of color?

The style of painting born from Matisse's and other artists' use of color was Fauvism.

What is the significance of the painting 'Luxury, Calm and Voluptuousness' in Matisse's career?

The painting 'Luxury, Calm and Voluptuousness' is significant as it represents a point where Matisse's colors exploded and he began to use large areas of uniform color to compose scenes expressing deep, primal feelings and rhythms.

Who were some of the collectors that supported Matisse during his experimental period?

American Sarah Stein and her in-laws Leo and Gertrude Stein, as well as Russian businessman Sergey Shchukin, supported Matisse during his experimental period.

What was the influence of Paul Signac's divisionism on Matisse's work?

Paul Signac's divisionism, which involved applying scientific color theories and using small dots of contrasting colors on the canvas to create more luminous colors optically, influenced Matisse's work, allowing him to use color in a more rebellious and expressive way.

How did Matisse's use of color evolve over time?

Matisse's use of color evolved from using non-naturalistic colors to generate an emotional response to later using color to define form itself, influenced by Sezan, Gauguin, African, and Islamic Art, resulting in flatter, simplified, more abstract paintings with large areas of uniform color.

What was the public's reaction to Matisse's painting 'The Joy of Life'?

The public's reaction to Matisse's painting 'The Joy of Life' was intense laughter and derision, similar to their reaction to his earlier Fauvist paintings.