Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse was a French artist. He was born in Le Cateau-Cambresis, France, in 1869. He was a leader of the Fauvist movement, which used wild, bright colors. He kept creating art until the end of his life, even from his bed.

Early Life

Matisse did not start painting until he was 20 years old. He was recovering from an illness when his mother gave him a box of paints. He fell in love with art. He quit his law career to become an artist.

A photograph of the French painter Henri Matisse in Paris.
A photograph of the French painter Henri Matisse in Paris. (Alvin Langdon Coburn / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Matisse shocked people with his bold, bright colors. His style was called Fauvism, meaning wild beast. Later in life, when he was too sick to paint, he created beautiful artworks by cutting shapes from colored paper. He called this painting with scissors.

Fun Facts

  • Matisse did not become an artist until he was given paints during an illness.
  • He kept a pet goldfish that he loved to paint.
  • His paper cutouts were made when he was in a wheelchair and could no longer paint easily.

Did You Know?

When critics first saw Matisse's bright, colorful paintings, they were shocked. They called him and his friends Fauves, meaning wild beasts. Matisse did not mind. He kept painting with bold colors for the rest of his life.