Henri Matisse - Forms in Freedom
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is known as one of the greatest masters of the 20th-century art. He emerged in Paris as a central figure in Fauvism, a style characterized by the daring liberation of color from the role of reproducing nature. In Nice, where he spent most of the latter half of his life, Matisse prolifically painted a remarkable variety of models and objects at his studio, and eventually arrived at the series known as Cut-Outs, in which he cut shapes and images out of colored paper with scissors and pasted them onto other sheets of paper.
This exhibition will feature a total of about 150 works and archival materials from the collection of the Musée Matisse Nice, France, including paintings, sculptures, prints, and textiles, with a particular focus on the Cut-Outs. Notably, Flowers and Fruits a large and stunning Cut-Out from the museum's collection, is a must-see, restored in France for this exhibition and on view in Japan for the first time.
The exhibition will also focus on the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence (often referred to as the Vence Chapel), which was built in Matisse's final years and can be seen as a culmination of his long career, and will present aspects of this masterpiece from architecture to interior decoration and ceremonial dress.
1 Complete introduction to Matisse's favored method: Cut-Outs
This is the first time that an exhibition in Japan has centered around Cut-Outs, which Matisse was fixated on in his later years. This would become his most outstanding form of expression at the pinnacle of his long life as an artist.
2 First display in Japan of the 4 x 8 meter masterpiece Flowers and Fruits
Flowers and Fruits is the Cut-Out masterpiece that greets visitors as they enter the main hall of the Musée Matisse de Nice.
This is the first display of Flowers and Fruits in Japan following its restoration for the purpose of this exhibition.
3 Experience the chapel that was the culmination of Matisse's artistic endeavors
The Chapelle du Rosaire, constructed in Vence in the outskirts of Nice, is the culmination of Matisse's artistic endeavors. Matisse made use of Cut-Outs from his later years and designed the interior decorations of the building as well as the priestly vestments. The exhibition hall will recreate the experience of being inside the chapel.