Matisse in the 1930s

The first in—depth examination of Matisse’s work in the 1930s, a key decade of creative innovation and renewal for this celebrated artist

In 1930, as Henri Matisse (1869–1954) embarked on The Dance, a monumental mural commissioned by the American collector Albert C. Barnes, he began experimenting in ways that would permanently change the nature of his work. The use of pre—painted cut papers to lay out his compositions led to a new style of flat tones and bold shapes. He also increasingly us...