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.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 The Bold Use of Color in Matisse’s Work

The first paragraph introduces two desaturated paintings by Henri Matisse: 'The Dinner Table' (1896) and 'Open Window' (1905). The narrator asks the audience to reflect on the expected colors of these works, then transitions to Matisse’s controversial use of color in a 1910 painting of dancers, which shocked viewers at its debut. Matisse’s bold use of color often drew ridicule from critics and audiences alike. For example, his paintings at the 1905 Autumn Salon—including 'Open Window' and 'Woman with a Hat'—received harsh criticism, earning Matisse and his fellow artists the derogatory title of 'wild beasts' or 'Fauves,' leading to the term 'Fauvism.' Despite public mockery, Matisse began developing his revolutionary use of color in the late 1890s during his time in Corsica, where he began experimenting with the emotional and non-representational aspects of color, as seen in works like 'The Old Mill.'

05:00

🖌️ Matisse’s Evolution in Color and Form

The second paragraph focuses on Matisse’s artistic evolution, where he moved beyond using color purely for emotional impact and began using it to define form. Influenced by artists such as Cézanne and non-Western art, Matisse created simplified, abstract works that expressed primal emotions. A key example is his famous painting 'Dance,' commissioned by Russian collector Sergei Shchukin in 1909. In this painting, Matisse employed a striking color palette of blue, green, and vibrant red to depict a dynamic, rhythmic dance. Although initially met with disdain, Matisse’s groundbreaking work gained appreciation over time, as he continued to push the boundaries of art by prioritizing personal expression over objective representation. This paragraph ends with a reflection on the lasting impact of Matisse’s innovative approach to color in modern art.

Keywords

💡Desaturated

Desaturated refers to colors that have had some or all of the saturation removed, resulting in a more muted or dull appearance. In the context of the video, desaturated paintings by Henri Matisse are mentioned, which contrasts with his later, more vibrant works. This term helps to set the stage for understanding Matisse's artistic progression towards using bold, expressive colors.

💡Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse was a French artist known for his expressive use of color and his fluid, characteristic painting style. He is a central figure in the video, with his works illustrating the evolution of his approach to color and form. Matisse's transition from more traditional, desaturated paintings to his bold, colorful Fauvist works is a key narrative in the script.

💡Fauvism

Fauvism is an early 20th-century art movement characterized by the use of vivid, non-naturalistic color and bold, often distorted forms. The term comes from the French word 'fauve,' meaning 'wild beast.' In the video, Matisse is described as a pioneer of Fauvism, with his use of revolutionary color techniques that were initially met with criticism but later became influential.

💡Autumn Salon

The Autumn Salon was an annual art exhibition in Paris that showcased contemporary works. It is mentioned in the script as the venue where Matisse debuted some of his most controversial paintings. The Salon serves as a backdrop for the public and critical reception of Matisse's work, highlighting the initial resistance to his innovative style.

💡Impressionism

Impressionism is an art movement that emerged in the late 19th century, known for its emphasis on capturing the fleeting effects of light and color. The script mentions how Matisse learned from the Impressionists' use of short strokes of pure, unblended color but then moved beyond their techniques to create a more emotionally expressive style.

💡Pointillism

Pointillism is a painting technique in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image. When viewed from a distance, the dots blend together optically. The video explains that Matisse was influenced by Georges Seurat's pointillism, but he adapted the technique to suit his own expressive ends.

💡Luxury, Calm, and Voluptuousness

This is the title of one of Matisse's most famous paintings, mentioned in the script as a result of his exploration of color and form during his time in St. Tropez. The painting exemplifies Matisse's ability to use color to evoke emotional responses and his departure from traditional representation.

💡Subjectivity

Subjectivity in art refers to the expression of the artist's personal perspective and emotions, as opposed to objective representation of reality. The video discusses how Matisse's work moved towards a conscious subjectivity, prioritizing his own visual and emotional responses over a realistic depiction of scenes.

💡Sarah Stein

Sarah Stein was an American collector and patron of the arts, mentioned in the script as one of the few who appreciated Matisse's work during his most experimental period. Her support, along with that of others like the Stein family and Sergey Shchukin, was crucial for Matisse, as the French art establishment largely rejected his work at the time.

💡The Joy of Life

The Joy of Life is a painting by Matisse that was met with ridicule by the public and disdain by critics, as noted in the script. However, it caught the eye of the Russian businessman Sergey Shchukin, who became a significant patron of Matisse. The painting exemplifies Matisse's use of non-naturalistic colors to generate emotional responses.

💡Abstraction

Abstraction in art refers to the practice of reducing or eliminating recognizable subject matter to focus on form, color, and other non-representational elements. The script describes how Matisse's work became more abstract over time, using large areas of uniform color to express primal feelings and rhythms, rather than depicting real-life scenes.

Highlights

The left painting, 'The Dinner Table' by Henri Matisse, was created in 1896, while the right one, 'Open Window, Collioure,' was painted a decade later in 1905.

Matisse's shift in color usage is dramatic between 'The Dinner Table' and 'Open Window,' showing a clear departure from conventional color representation.

The public and critics strongly rejected Matisse’s painting 'Dance' when it debuted in 1910 at the Autumn Salon in Paris, receiving mockery and insults.

Critic Louis Vauxcelles labeled Matisse and other artists as 'wild beasts,' or 'fauves,' in 1905, giving birth to the term 'Fauvism' for their revolutionary use of color.

Matisse’s exploration of color began as early as 1898 during his stay in Corsica, where he experimented with the emotional potential of color in painting.

Matisse began to free color from its traditional representational role, as seen in works like 'The Old Mill' and his impressionist-inspired 'Dinner Table.'

In 1904, Matisse's colors 'exploded' during his summer in Saint-Tropez, producing one of his most famous works, 'Luxe, Calme et Volupté.'

Matisse was influenced by neo-impressionist Paul Signac and the divisionism technique, which used small dots of contrasting colors to create luminous effects.

Though Matisse's work initially followed the divisionist style, he quickly forged his own path, making his colors less representational and more anarchic.

In 1905, Matisse painted 'Open Window, Collioure,' marking the beginning of his Fauvist period, using color in a more expressive, subjective way.

Matisse’s later paintings became flatter, more abstract, and used broad areas of uniform color to express primal emotions and rhythms.

Matisse's artistic philosophy involved rejecting Western objectivity and embracing a conscious subjectivity rooted in personal visual and emotional responses.

Though heavily criticized by the French art establishment, Matisse was supported by collectors like Sarah Stein, Leo and Gertrude Stein, and Russian businessman Sergei Shchukin.

In 1909, Shchukin commissioned Matisse to create two large panels, one of which became the iconic 'Dance,' a vibrant representation of energy and movement.

Matisse’s painting 'Dance' is characterized by just three colors—blue, green, and shocking scarlet—that vibrantly express dynamic movement.

Matisse’s color revolution altered the course of modern art, and his influence became clear only with the perspective of time, as color was never the same after his bold innovations.

Transcripts

okay so here are two desaturated

paintings by the French artist HRI matis

the left one is called the dinner table

and was painted in 1896 and the right

one is called open window cure and was

painted a decade later in 1905 what do

you think the colors are like in the

first one the one on the left does that

match your expectation I bet it does now

what about the other painting this view

of boats from an open window is that

what you expected okay what about this

painting from 5 years later in 1910 of

dancers are those really the colors that

you thought you were going to see if not

you're not the only one on October 1st

1910 matis debuted this painting called

dance at the Autumn Salon in Paris and

to say that it wasn't well received is

an understatement a few critics

applauded the boldness of the painting

but most attacked it savagely and the

public was no kind they crowded in front

of the massive canvas and shouted

insults at it jeering laughing mocking

unfortunately this was not new for matis

5 years earlier at the Autumn Salon of

1905 he exhibited a number of paintings

that got a similar response including

this one open window from before and

this one woman with a hat the critic

Louis Vel disparaged matis and the other

painters who were using colors in

Revolutionary new ways as wild beasts or

foes in French and that was how how fism

was born well that was how the name was

born anyway the style of painting was

born in the mind of matis and ausf

filiation of other artists as early as

1898 when matis was in Corsica with his

wife he began gradually to lean into the

dramatic power of color in a painting

like the Old Mill for example you can

see him taking the lessons of the

impressionist using short Strokes of

Pure unblended Color to capture the

flickering transient quality of the

light but also liberating that color so

that it's not strictly representational

but emotional and personal I mean look

at the difference between this painting

and the dinner table from the beginning

of this video look at the difference

that two years can make in 1902 he

pushed the colors even further away from

representation in his paintings of the

Luxembourg Gardens and by 1904 when he

was spending the summer at St Trope a

coastal fishing Village in southern

France mati's colors exploded the most

important painting to come out of that

trip is this one the Gulf of sent Trope

which he reworked when he returned to

Paris into one of his most famous

paintings luxury calm and voluptuousness

see in centrope matis was joined by Paul

syak one of the leaders of

neo-impressionism who applied scientific

color theories to the technique of the

Impressionists and developed a style

where you put small dots of contrasting

colors on the canvas and when the viewer

stands at a distance the dots mix

optically and generate more luminous

colors sync's theory is called

divisionism and the technique is called

pointalism I know too many isms the most

famous execution of this style you

probably know is George Shaz a Sunday

afternoon on the island of lran shat now

going back to maa's painting you can

clearly see the influence of Sak and

divisionism but you can also feel matis

forging his own path his colors are

rebelling against their subjects the

painting is anarchic Fantastical it's p

ING with wild energy the next summer in

1905 matis followed that energy to cure

another fishing Village in southern

France and let loose colors became

sticks of dynamite he said and then

detonated them across his canvases and

then those canvases detonated the 1905

Salon where he was labeled a wild beast

now the reaction really isn't surprising

even now more than a century later these

paintings still retain their defiant

power the colors still sing with the

Dare ing the creative recklessness of

that summer as Hillary Sperling says

matis was attempting to overturn a way

of seeing evolved and accepted by the

Western World for centuries he was

substituting for their illusion of

objectivity a conscious subjectivity a

20th century art that would draw its

validity essentially from the painter's

own Visual and emotional responses the

critics didn't appreciate what matis was

doing but thankfully a few collectors

did namely the American Sarah Stein and

and her in-laws Leo and gertrud Stein as

well as the Russian businessman Sergey

shukin shukin was at the salon of

Independence in 1906 where he saw mati's

Joy Of Life a painting that senyak hated

and that the public laughed at with even

greater intensity than they did at the

first Fus paintings just a few months

before shukin though he was mesmerized

for the next decade he gave matis

financial and moral support while the

French art establishment derided him

during arguably his most experimental I

think most exciting period you see in

his Fest years matis used

non-naturalistic colors to generate an

emotional response but after this he

learned how to use color to Define form

itself influenced by seisan by gato by

African and Islamic Art his new

paintings were flatter simplified more

abstract and used large areas of uniform

color to compose scenes not of real life

not even of real life transformed by new

colors but scenes that Express deep

Primal feelings and rhythms in 1909

shukin commissioned two giant panels to

be hung in his Moscow Mansion matis

wanted one of them to express energy and

above all movement he remembered a scene

from kalor in 1905 when Catalan

fisherman pulled him into a dancing ring

and whipped him around violently on the

beach a verion of this memory can be

found in the joy of life but now matis

endeavored to recapture this the scene

with a new style and new tools the

result is dance a masterpiece of energy

consisting of just three colors blue

green and the shocking Scarlet of the

naked dancing leaping spinning figures

who are less like people than

mythological Saturns that red vibrates

off the background and captures exactly

the movement matis intended it took him

almost a year to make this painting and

the public hated it I guess that's the

way it goes sometimes you can't expect

the instantaneous acceptance of

something radically new if it was

accepted it wouldn't be radical with the

perspective of a century knowing the

directions that Modern Art went in we

now can appreciate the full significance

of maa's work we can be shocked by it

without being scandalized we can Marvel

at the creative distance that he

traveled in just 14 years after which

color was never the

same hey everybody thank you so much for

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