Henri Matisse was born in 1869. His father was a grain salesman. He lived in a Bohain, a little town in France. When he was twenty, Matisse became a lawyer's clerk.

While he was a clerk he began taking drawing classes. One day he got a paint box and began to paint. "When I started to paint I felt transported into a kind of paradise..." he said.

Matisse liked color. He began to use color in a new way. He became part of a group artists known as Fauves, or Wild Beasts. Fauves used bright colors in their paintings. He often used colors known as complements, or opposites on the color wheel.

The years passed, and Matisse's paintings grew more flat. He was interested in form and space. Many of his paintings were flat forms of people.

He was also interested in pattern and rhythm. The wall paper, tile and cloth in his work are important to the paintings. Wall paper, tile and cloth contain pattern and rhythm.

His later art works are done in cut paper instead of paint.

View other Paintings by Henri Matisse:

Click on the underlined words to visit other paintings. Be sure to click the

Back button in the top left hand corner of your screen to return to the game.

Visit the Web Museum to see other paintings by Henri Matisse.

Visit the Henri Matisse Art Gallery, other paintings are listed.

Visit the Promenade Gallery "Le Lecon de Musique" by Henri Matisse.