Matisse

Matisse influenced a large number of artists. During his lifetime, his paintings, marked by quick, gestural strokes and fluid contours, informed many of his contemporaries in the Fauvist movement, such as Albert Marquet and Georges Rouault. Matisse's influence can also be seen in the works of Wassily Kandinsky, Marc Chagall, David Hockney, Richard Diebenkorn and Juan Gris. French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent also drew inspiration from Matisse's pieces. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Henri Matisse art.

No, Matisse was not an Impressionist. Art historians typically classify his work as part of Post-Impressionism, a movement that turned away from the naturalism of Impressionism and focused even more on conveying emotions through painting. Along with fellow painter André Derain, Matisse was also the leading proponent of Fauvism, a movement whose name is derived from the French word for "wild beast." Marked by vibrant hues, Fauvist paintings like Matisse's famous 1906 composition Le Bonheur de vivre use wild, active brushstrokes and a palette unconstrained by nature, resulting in visuals like women with purple skin and trees with orange leaves. Often, these compositions unite pure color with the white of the exposed canvas to create a sense of transparency and light. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Henri Matisse art.

Matisse was influenced by a number of other artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gaugin, Paul Signac and Gustave Moreau. The French painter, sculptor and craftsman also drew inspiration from the flattened forms of figures in medieval and early Renaissance paintings, such as in how he approached nudes. Rejecting strict realism, he distilled forms into their essential parts and then translated these into voluptuous, rounded contours. Explore a range of Henri Matisse art on 1stDibs.

Henri Matisse was famous for his work as a draftsman, sculptor, printmaker and painter. He is especially well known for his use of color. Although classically trained at the Académie Julian in Paris, he quickly abandoned traditional techniques and genres to pioneer a style all his own, marked by quick gestural strokes and fluid contours. Along with fellow painter André Derain, Matisse was the leading proponent of Fauvism, a movement whose name is derived from the French word for "wild beast." Marked by vibrant hues, Fauvist paintings like Matisse's famous 1906 composition Le bonheur de vivre use wild, active brushstrokes and a palette unconstrained by nature. Shop an assortment of Henri Matisse art on 1stDibs.

Henri Matisse created Icarus in 1947. It was printed using a stencil technique and was later included among 20 other pieces in his book Jazz. Shop a selection of Matisse’s pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.