Henri Matisse: from Illusion to Emotional Truth

The pioneer of Fauvism always sought originality above all

‘Self-portrait’ (1918) by Henri Matisse [view license]

Most artists realise that they want to be painters or sculptors early in life and be­cause of this they reach an early maturity. Henri Matisse (1869–1954) had come to painting comparatively late and at first there was no sign of the revolution he would help to bring about. A fellow…