More Matisse

Just because I need more Matisse in my life! This one's called 'Through the Open Window.' Do you think I might see a similiar scene when I visit Collioure?

And just because life isn't always full of vibrant color, I've included this one that I also love....

It's called 'A Window Swung Open at Collioure' and can be seen at the Pompidou Center in Paris.

Henri Matisse in Collioure

Who doesn't love a painter who splashes such vivid color on the canvas? Although Matisse spent several summers in Collioure, the summer of 1905 was his most productive. That summer he invited his friend, Andre Derain, to join him. Both artists were inspired by Collioure's beauty. Both artists were part of a group of loosely-organized painters known as the "Fauves" or wild beasts. This school of art was short-lived existing between 1904-1907 giving way to the Cubists who followed them. The Fauves used pure primary colors to convey their view of the world and were considered the first to paint "Modern" art.

Here's a Derain painting of Collioure. I love the contrast between the sapphire blue sea and the ochre-colored roofs of the village. I'm excited to see these same scenes in person this September!

Collioure

I'm continuing to gather fun ideas for my upcoming trip to southwest France this September. One thing I know I want to do is make a trip south and visit a village by the sea. This is the one I'm considering. Sitting beside the beautiful blue Mediterranean, Collioure combines both French and Spanish culture. It's been a fishing village since 673 and was an important strategic site for the defense of southern France. It's only a few kilometers from the Spanish border. In my opinion, though, its main claim to fame is that it was home for awhile to Henri Matisse, one of my favorite artists. Many of his most famous paintings were inspired by Collioure. I'm open to recommendations...anyone visited this picturesque village by the sea?

Chasing Matisse

I made a blog entry last weekend about my visit to the Des Moines Art Center. In it, I mentioned that the Center has a variety of paintings by some pretty famous artists in its collection. One of those artists is Henri Matisse; this is "Woman in a White Dress," part of the permanent collection there. One of my regular blog readers, Isabelle, commented on my post that she is amazed how art finds its way all over the world...even to Des Moines, Iowa. That made me stop and think that, yes, it is pretty amazing! How did this Matisse end up in the middle of America's Heartland? Since Matisse is one of my favorite artists, I decided I would try to sleuth out answer to this mystery. This painting was one in a series of works that Matisse painted while he lived in Vence, France from 1943-1949. He was 75 years old at the time, but still working hard at his art. The painting was a gift to the Art Center by Elizabeth Bates and John Cowles. Cowles was part of a publishing dynasty and his life was not without controversy. He and his wife, Elizabeth were world travelers, actively involved in civil rights issues, and huge supporters of the arts. Where and when the Cowles obtained the painting is the next part of the painting's provenance and still a mystery. Maybe a another trip to the Art Center will provide me with a clue?