A significant exhibition titled "Matisse 1941-1954" at the Grand Palais in Paris explores the final extraordinary 13 years of Henri Matisse's life and career, from 1941 until his death in 1954. This period, following a life-threatening surgery in 1941, marked a resurgence of creativity, often referred to as a "resurrection" by those around him. Despite significant health challenges and being largely confined to a wheelchair, Matisse reinvented his artistic process, producing some of his most influential and innovative works.
The exhibition, organized by the Centre Pompidou, features over 300 works, including paintings, drawings, and notably, his iconic paper cut-outs. These cut-outs, which he began producing in earnest after 1943 with the "Jazz" series, involved assistants painting sheets of paper with gouache from which Matisse would cut fluid, bold shapes. This technique allowed him to create large-scale collages like "Polynesia, the Sea" and "The Snail," which are central to the exhibition, along with maquettes made for the Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence, which he considered his greatest achievement.
The show aims to present a comprehensive view of Matisse's late period, which curator Claudine Grammont notes is not as widely known in Paris compared to shows in London and New York. It highlights how Matisse, even with physical limitations, continued to draw, paint, and create, challenging the notion that artists decline in old age. His later works also include the "Themes and Variations" drawing series, and a final series of minimalist paintings and ink works, demonstrating his continuous refinement of form and expression, often with vibrant colors and bold lines.
The exhibition also seeks to immerse visitors in the atmosphere of Matisse's studio in Nice, where he created an environment of colored shapes that grew from his walls across the floor, essentially creating a "garden" for himself when he could no longer venture outside. Despite the apparent ease and calming influence sometimes associated with his art, the exhibition underscores the intense struggle and anxiety that underpinned his prolific output during this challenging yet incredibly fruitful phase of his career.
