Exhibition 'Chez Matisse: The Legacy of a New Painting'

An exploration of the career, evolution, scope and influence of Matisse on creators and international avant-gardes. The exhibition highlights part of the vast dialogue surrounding his name in 20th- and 21st-century art, from his first self-portrait to the artistic freedom of his final paintings and gouaches . The art of Henri Matisse reflects a radically innovative conception of colour, a critical reformulation of the canvas as a purely pictorial surface, and a sense of being “out of place” both emotionally and politically. This expresses his break with established norms and his search for a new way of seeing and representing the world. The exhibition presents a wide selection of works drawn mainly from the Centre Pompidou, where Matisse’s pieces enter into dialogue with those of contemporary and later artists influenced by his work. It is organised into eight sections that trace his career and evolution, from the German Fauves and Russian Neo-Primitivists to American painting from the 1940s onwards.