Matisse used colors in innovative ways.
Henri Matisse was born in 1869 in a small town near the northern border of France. Trained as a lawyer, while he was in his twenties he abandoned the law in order to paint. Matisse is one of the most notable artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. His vividly painted works, along with his paper cut-outs, have earned him a prominent place in art history. Matisse developed his own innovative techniques and he also learned from other artists. His methods produce paintings filled with energy and color.
Contrasting Colors
Matisse found that when he painted colors that are opposite to one another, they would appear more concentrated than when they were juxtaposed with other colors. Because of this, he often applied orange next to blue, red with green and other opposing colors together. For example, in his painting "Open Window, Collioure," Matisse paints red flowers with green leaves and blue boats that have orange masts. These bold contrasts give the painting an intensity it would not otherwise have.
Impasto
Matisse often used an impasto technique in his paintings. To do this, he would use either a wide brush or a palette knife to make an unusually thick layer of paint over a part of the painting. This layer would stand out in relief from the rest of the work. Matisse employed this technique to create visual interest.
Scraping
Matisse often used a scraping technique. After applying several layers of paint, he would scrape off part of it to expose the underlying colors. He did this with wet as well as with dry paint. This technique was used in his 1939 painting entitled "Music."
Simplified Forms
Rather than painting objects exactly the way they looked, Matisse typically painted things in simplified forms. The colors he used and the ways in which he manipulated the paint were as much a part of the painting as the subject matter itself. This was an innovative approach during Matisse's times and his simplified form technique helped him to create works that are charged with energy. "Large Reclining Nude," painted in 1935, exemplifies Matisse's use of this technique.
