nPostednon December 31, 2015
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nWasnhe a Wild Beast? n
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nAnnartistic rebel?
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nOrnwas he someone who upheld tradition?
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nInguess that French artist Henri Matisse was both!
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Therenwas an entire group of artists in the early 1900s who were called lesnFauves, the Wild Beasts. They used strong colors rather thannsticking with realistic colors as they created their paintings. Also,ntheir works were painterly, because these artists allowed visiblenbrushstrokes and impulsive daubs of color rather than a more careful,nsmooth application of color meant to create accurate shading. n
Therenwas an entire group of artists in the early 1900s who were called lesnFauves, the Wild Beasts. They used strong colors rather thannsticking with realistic colors as they created their paintings. Also,ntheir works were painterly, because these artists allowed visiblenbrushstrokes and impulsive daubs of color rather than a more careful,nsmooth application of color meant to create accurate shading. nn
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nHenrinMatisse was considered the leader of les Fauves!
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Fauvismnonly lasted a few years as an art movement, but Matisse create artnworks – prints and sculptures as well as paintings – for morenthan half a century. By the 1920s, Matisse was being hailed asnsomeone who was upholding the classical tradition in French painting.
Fauvismnonly lasted a few years as an art movement, but Matisse create artnworks – prints and sculptures as well as paintings – for morenthan half a century. By the 1920s, Matisse was being hailed asnsomeone who was upholding the classical tradition in French painting.n
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nHownand why?
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nHenrinMatisse was born on this date in 1869. When he was 20, something badnhappened: Matisse had an attack of appendicitis. I’m not sure if henhad an operation or no, but I read that it took Matisse a while tonrecover. n
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nThennsomething good happened: Matisse’s mom brought him art supplies whilenhe was still convalescing from the illness. n
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nThennsomething REALLY good happened: As he painted, Matisse discovered an“kind of paradise” (his words). n
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nEvennthough he had studied law and worked as a court administrator,nMatisse now wanted to become an artist. He went to Paris to studynart….
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nAndnthat’s when something else, something kind of bad, happened:nMatisse’s father told him how deeply disappointed he was in his son’snchoice of art over law.
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nI’mnnot sure if Matisse’s dad just didn’t value art, or if he worriednthat his son would always be the stereotypical “starving artist,”nor what – but if Matisse had knuckled under to his dad’s hopes andndreams for him, I’m pretty sure he would never have become wellnknown, and we wouldn’t be talking about him today. Luckily, Matissenfollowed his passion, made his imprint on the world, and lived anlong, interesting life.
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nBynthe way…
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nMatissenchose to stay in France when it was occupied by Nazis during WorldnWar II, because he felt that leaving France would be deserting it.n(His son had arranged for him to flee to Brazil.) Matisse apparentlyndidn’t actively work with the Resistance, his son Pierre, hisnestranged wife Amelie, and his daughter Marguerite all did. n
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nPierrenhelped Jewish and anti-Nazi artists escape occupied France and enternthe United States, and he held an exhibit in New York City calledn“Artists in Exile.” (According to Wikipedia, that exhibitnbecame legendary.)
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nAmelienwas a typist for the French Underground. She was jailed by the Nazisnfor six months!
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| Matisse’s daughter, Marguerite |
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nAndnMarguerite was a true hero. She worked for the Resistance during thenwar, but then she was captured, tortured almost to death by thenGestapo, and sentenced to a concentration camp. When the Allies madenan air strike on Germany, the train Marguerite was on, bound for thenconcentration camp, was halted; she managed to escape the train andnsurvived in the woods. Finally, she was rescued by fellow resisters.
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nWow!nThat’s quite a story!
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nAncoincidence…
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nAsnI read about Henri Matisse, I noticed that he died the year I wasnborn. n
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nThennI read about his daughter, and I noticed that SHE died the year mynoldest daughter was born.
They both lived long lives – Henrindied at age 84, and his daughter died at age 87.
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAnniversarynof Ottawa becoming the capital of Canada
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nThenlast day of the year
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nNewnYear’s Eve
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nAnniversarynof a New Year’s Eve party inside an iguanodon
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nAnniversarynof a window tax in England
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nPlannahead:
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Checknout my Pinterest pages on:
Checknout my Pinterest pages on:
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nJanuaryn birthdays
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