Matisse: Cut-Outs, Chapel of the Rosary and Final Works

After undergoing a new surgical operation in 1941, with the impossibility of painting, Matisse decided to resort to a new style, employing the technique of collage or decoupage. The traumatic surgery, due to cancer, forced the artist to use a wheelchair.

In A Tristeza do Rei, the artist used the mixed technique (collage and gauche paint). Different shapes are used, where eleven colors are applied. Yellow losangos that may represent leaves or tears. A probable odalisque in green to the left, the king in the center, dressed in black with yellow flower-patterned clothes, holding a violin, an instrument he played, and a black and white ballerina to the right, compose his last biographical self-portrait - 'King Matisse'

“Cutting with scissors, cutting out the bright colors, reminds me of the direct work of sculptors... a scissors is a wonderful tool and the paper I use for my cut-outs is magnificent... working with scissors on this paper is an occupation in which I can lose myself... my pleasure in cutting increases every day! Why didn't I think of this before? I am more and more convinced that with a simple cut-out, one can express the same things as with drawing and painting...“ (Henri Matisse in “Writings and Thoughts on Art”)

Matisse’s shift toward a more distilled form of expression invites a comparison with other masters who dedicated their lives to refining their artistic vision. Biography of Johannes Vermeer: In-Depth Analysis of Masterpieces

His last work was the decoration of the Chapel of the Rosary. Located in Vence in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France, the chapel was built for the Convent of the Dominican Sisters by the architect Auguste Perret between 1949 and 1951; as it was entirely decorated by Henri Matisse, it also became known as the ‘Chapel Matisse’, where the artist left his mark on the stained glass and tiles.

For Matisse, his work in Vence represented, in his own words, “an art of balance, purity, and tranquility.” As he was very ill, unfortunately, the artist did not participate in its inauguration in 1951, but wrote:

“I did not seek beauty, I sought truth. I humbly present to you the Chapel of the Rosary of the Dominican Sisters of Vence... This work demanded four years of exhausting and assiduous work. It is the result of a lifetime of active life, and I consider it, despite all its imperfections, a masterpiece.”

The creation of such a holistic artistic environment mirrors the ambitious projects undertaken by other visionary creators who redefined their surroundings. Antoni Gaudí: Biography and Work: The Masterpieces that Shaped Barcelona and the World

In 1952, the Museum Henri Matisse was inaugurated in his hometown.

Two months before completing eighty-five years, he died in Nice on November 3, 1954, where he rests in the Cimiez Cemetery.

Exploring the legacy of significant artists reveals how their personal journeys often intersect with broader historical and cultural movements. Biography of Candido Portinari: From Academia to Historic Mural Paintings

GALLERY OF SOME WORKS:

PINTURES

Livros e Vela - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Livros e Vela. 1890

Mulher Lendo - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Mulher Lendo. 1894

Paisagem das cercanias - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Paisagem das Cercanias de Toulouse - 1898/1899. Coleção Particular, Paris

Autorretrato 2 - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Autorretrato. 1900

O Terraço de Paul Signac em Saint-Tropez. 1904

Luxo, Calma e Volúpia - Matisse was inspired to paint this canvas in the pointillism of his friend Paul Signac. It was a foreshadowing of the Fauvism. The painting is also a tribute to Paul Cézanne, in a reference to the Bathers

Luxo, Calma e Volúpia. 1904 - Óleo sobre tela (98,5 x 118,5) - Localização: Museu d'Orsay, Paris, França

Pastoral - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Pastoral. 1905 - Museu Nacional de Arte Moderna, Paris (França)

Retrato com linha verde - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Retrato com Linha Verde (Madame Matisse). 1905

Composed in pure tones, this portrait of Madame Matisse became a reference of the Fauvist movement. Its name comes from the bold green-yellow stripe that, below the blue hair, separates the face vertically into a dark and a light side.

Alegria de viver - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Alegria de Viver. 1905-06 . Barnes Foundation

Harmonia em vermelho - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Harmonia em Vermelho. 1908. Óleo sobre Tela (180x220cm). Museu Hermitage, São Petersburgo - Rússia

A Dança. 1909-1910. Museu do Ermitage, São Petersburgo (Rússia)

Studio de Saint Michel - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Studio de Saint Michel. 1916

Jovem Mulher na Janela ao pôr do sol. Henri Matisse. 1921

Grande Interior Vermelho - This is one of the last oil paintings made by Matisse, it is the maximum synthesis of his work.

Grande Interior vermelho - Biografia de Henri Matisse — Grande Interior Vermelho. Henri Matisse. 1948 - Museu Nacional de Arte Moderna, Paris

2- CUT-OUT AND COLLAGE - Pertaining to 'Abstract Expressionism', LA PERRUCHE ET LA SIRÈNE - is part of a series of cut-outs and collages initiated by Matisse from 1940, when the artist opted for this method to continue producing and not abandon art in his last years of life. We highlight this, as it is one of the largest examples of works with this technique. The total work contains cut-out shapes in contrasting colors on a white surface.