School of Paris
A loosely affiliated group of artists working in Paris in the early years of the twentieth century up to the Second World War.
Biography
Born
1869
Died
1954
Nationality
French
Birth place
Le Cateau-Cambrésis
Death place
Nice
Matisse began taking drawing classes as a way of relieving the boredom of his job as a solicitor's clerk. However, in 1891 he abandoned his legal career in favour of painting, studying at various schools in Paris. In 1905 he exhibited with a number of artists who were dubbed by a critic, Les fauves (wild beasts). Matisse began painting in rich bright colours after spending time in the south of France. He settled there permanently in 1940. After undergoing two major operations in 1941 he was left bed-ridden but continued to make paper cut-outs. These allowed him to 'draw' into the colour.
Glossary terms
Fauvism
A group of painters in France in the early 20th century, including Henri Matisse and André Derain, who used bold, vivid colours in their work. The name is derived from a derogatory remark from a critic who saw them as akin to wild beasts.
Primitivism
A term used to describe art that employs ‘primitive’ elements or forms. Today the term ‘primitive’ is often deemed as degrading when applied to non-Western cultures, so is frequently placed in quotation marks.
Monoprint
A monoprint is a form of printmaking in which an image is made from a smooth surface or ‘plate’ coated in printing ink such as a sheet of glass or metal. In contrast with other printing techniques, only one final image is made, making the technique closer to drawing or painting than other print processes. The term ‘monoprint’ and ‘monotype’ are often used interchangeably to reference the same process, although some prefer to use the term ‘monoprint’ to refer to a series of similar works, while a ‘monotype’ is a one-off.