Matisse: Drawing with Scissors

Late Works 1950 - 1954

The French painter, sculptor and designer, Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was one of the 20th century's most influential artists. His vibrant works are celebrated for their extraordinary richness and luminosity of colour. Matisse: Drawing with Scissors, features 35 lithographic prints of the famous cut-outs, produced in the last four years of his life, when the artist was confined to his bed, and includes many of his iconic images, such as The Snail and the Blue Nudes.

Matisse continued creating highly original works well into his eighties. For his cut-outs he used paper that had been hand-painted with gouache, laid down in abstract or figurative patterns: 'the paper cut-out allows me to draw in the colour... Instead of drawing the outline and putting the colour inside it... I draw straight into the colour'. The colours he used were so strong that he was advised by his doctor to wear dark glasses.

The lithographic reproductions in this exhibition are taken from a special double issue of Verve, a review of art and literature, published by Tériade, a major publisher of fine art books in 1958. This exhibition gives a brilliant overview of Matisse's late work, including many of his iconic images, such as The Snail - the original is owned by Tate Collection, and usually on display at Tate Modern - and the Blue Nudes.

Matisse began his working life as a lawyer, before going to Paris to study art in 1890. At first strongly influenced by the Impressionists, he soon created his own style, using brilliant, pure colours, and started making sculptures as well as paintings. In 1905 he and his colleagues were branded the Fauves (wild beasts) because of their unconventional use of colour, and it was during this time that he painted his celebrated Luxe, Calme et Volupté (Luxury, Tranquillity and Delight). 'There is no gap between my earlier pictures and my cut-outs', Matisse wrote; 'I have only reached a form reduced to the essential through greater absoluteness and greater abstraction'.

Tour details

14 January - 18 March 2012
The Gallery, Discovery Centre, Winchester

24 March - 22 April 2012
Iona Gallery, Kingussie

28 April - 27 May 2012
AVAILABLE FOR TOUR

2 June - 1 July 2012
The King George Gallery, The Ormiston Ilkeston Academy, Ilkeston

7 July - 5 August 2012
Artsmill, Hebden Bridge

15 September - 14 October 2012
The Frances Bardsley School for Girls, Romford

20 October - 18 November 2012
Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery, Maidstone

24 November 2012 - 6 January 2013
The Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead

12 January - 10 February 2013
AVAILABLE FOR TOUR

16 February - 17 March 2013
AVAILABLE FOR TOUR

Tour continues

Information:

Security Category C
Exhibition Fee: £700 + VAT (2011/12 & 2012/13)
Gallery requirements: 35 metres of hanging space.

For more information please contact Alison Maun: alison.maun@southbankcentre.co.uk

Image credits:
Top: Henri Matisse: Tristesse du Roi (Sorrow of the King), 1952. Gouache découpé 292 x 386cm.  © DACS.
Bottom: Henri Matisse: Nu bleu II (Blue Nude II), 1952. Gouache découpée 116,2 x 88,9cm. © DACS.