Le Bonheur de Vivre: The vital colors and shapes of a modernist master

The work of Henri Matisse (1869 1954) reflects an ongoing belief in the power of brilliant colors and simple forms. Though famed in particular for his paintings, Matisse also worked with drawing, sculpture, lithography, stained glass, and collage, developing his unique cut-out medium when old age left him unable to stand and paint.

Matisse s subjects were often conventional: nudes, portraits, and figures in landscapes, Oriental scenes, and interior...