The Arts Society in Malta (ASinMalta) is holding its first live online lecture of the season on Thursday.

Dedicated to French artist Henri Matisse, it will be delivered by art historian and National Gallery official guide Paul Chapman via Zoom.

Matisse is regarded, along with Pablo Picasso, as one of the
artists who best helped to define the revolutionary developments in the visual arts throughout the opening decades of the 20th century. His intense use of colour in his paintings between 1900 and 1905 brought him notoriety as
one of the 'Fauves' (wild beasts).

Blue_Nude II, Henri Matisse, 1952

Sword Swallower, Henri Matisse, 1947

The Egyptian Curtain, Henri Matisse, 1948

Matisse in 1913

Matisse developed a rigorous style of decorative motifs and bold flat colours. During World War I, he moved from Paris to the south of France, where his work became more figurative and traditional and he was heralded as an upholder of the French classical tradition. In later age he had a second flourish as an avant-garde artist and developed his cut-out style, using collage techniques with coloured paper.

One of Matisse's late works was the design and decoration of the Chapel at Rosaire de Vence.

Titled 'Matisse: Simple Beauty' the lecture will be held on Thursday at 6.30pm.

For registration and more information, e-mail Nicole Stilon at membership.secretary.asinmalta@theartssociety.org.

Members of the society can register for free.

https://theartssociety.org/asinmalta

Paul Chapman

Matisse in 1933

Matisse’s grave in Nice, France.

Stained glass in La Chapelle du Rosaire in Venice, designed by Matisse.

The Inattentive Reader, Henri Matisse, 1919