Looking at the work of an Artist

Learning Objectives/Outcomes

The child will be enabled to

  • Develop an increasing understanding of the elements of art
  • Develop his/her art skills and practice art techniques
  • Engage in the process of making art
  • Look at and respond to his/her own art work and to the work of artists

Introduction: Henri Matisse

Follow this link to find a slideshow exploring the work of Henri Matisse. You will look at how the artist used colour, pattern, shapes and props to create his art. As you explore, you will gather your own collection of these items and create and print your very own Matisse inspired image.

The following is a short biography of Matisse.

Henri Matisse grew up in the northern part of France where his father was a grain merchant and strict with Henri. He went to school in Paris and studied law. In 1888 he passed the bar and took a job as a law clerk. However, in 1889 he became very ill with appendicitis and during his recovery his mother got him some art supplies to keep him occupied. He fell in love with painting and art. He decided he wanted to become an artist. Henri began to explore painting. His mother encouraged him not to follow the normal rules of art, but to try out new things and to paint his emotions. He spent a year studying art at the Julian Academy in Paris, but left to train under the artist Gustave Moreau, where he could explore more modern styles of painting. In 1897, Matisse met the painter John Russell. Russell introduced him to impressionism and to the work of Van Gogh. It opened up a new world to Matisse. Matisse painted his first masterpiece in 1897. It was called The Dinner Table. He continued to paint being influenced by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Cezanne. He studied the works of Turner as well and even took on some of the style of pointillism( using small dots of colour )from Seurat. In the early 1900s Matisse developed a new style. He began to paint with bright masses of colors that were freely applied. He used the colors to express emotion often using colors that had nothing to do with the natural colors of the subject. In 1905 Matisse, together with fellow artists Maurice de Vlaminck and Andre Derain, exhibited their new style to the world. One critic called them "fauves", which meant "wild beasts". The name stuck and their style of art was called Fauvism. One of Matisse's 1905 paintings was Woman with a Hat. In this painting you can see that he uses bright and unnatural colors to paint the woman. It brings a different level of emotion to the painting. Although Matisse was initially criticized by some for this new style, Woman with a Hat was purchased by major art collectors, giving Matisse renewed confidence. The Red Studio was painted by Matisse in 1911, near the end of the Fauvism movement. During this time he began experimenting with flat areas of color. The painting is of Matisse's art studio. The paintings shown were his most recent paintings at the time. You can see that Matisse was not worried about making the painting look like a studio, but rather to create an interesting arrangement of colors and shapes. In his later years, Matisse began to experiment with cutouts. He would cut out colored paper and make collages. He released a book of these cutouts called Jazz that was very popular. Some of his cutouts have become famous pieces of artwork including The Blue Nude, theKnife thrower and Icarus. Matisse is considered one of the founders of Fauvism art. He is also considered one of the leading figures of modern art as his paintings and art influenced many artists throughout the 20th century

Link to the paintings mentioned in this article below:

Responding

Art Activity: Working in the style of Matisse.

There is a step-by-step outline of how to create a piece of art in the style of Matisse, using paper cut outs, on the Crafty Classroom site at

Evaluating your teaching

Did the lesson

  • Provide the students with opportunities to develop an increasing understanding of the elements of art?
  • Include art activities that helped to develop the students’ art skills and to practice 2D construction techniques?
  • Ensure that the art making involved was process oriented?
  • Include opportunities for the students to look at and respond to their own art work and to the work of Matisse?

Display the Art Products / Assessing the art products

Look at each student’s work and decide

  • Does the art piece demonstrate that the student is experimenting with the elements of art?
  • Does the art piece demonstrate good art skills and the appropriate use of art techniques?
  • Does the art piece show that the child is working confidently with his/her own ideas and working as the designer of the work?
  • Can the student discuss his/her own art work with confidence?