Illus Blog — Henri Matisse
The Essence of Life: Henri Matisse’s Striking Portraiture

A Living Art: Henri Matisse’s Boundless Interiors

Henri Matisse, The Swimming Pool, installation view in his Nice apartment, 1952, image via The Museum of Modern Art, New York French artist Henri Matisse lived and breathed art, surrounding himself with sumptuous textiles, objects and artworks from all around the world. The decorated spaces he lived in spilled out into his paintings, framing windows or forming riotous, joyous displays of colour and life. He even came to see this art as a form of lavish décor, famously describing it as a “soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair.” Later in life, when confined to...