At Fondation Beyeler a retrospective devoted to Henri Matisse, from early works to cutouts

From Sept. 22, 2024 to Jan. 26, 2025, the Fondation Beyeler in Basel presents the first retrospective devoted to Henri Matisse in Switzerland and German-speaking countries ever held in the past two decades. The exhibition, titled Matisse - Invitation to Travel and curated by Raphaël Bouvier, takes inspiration from Charles Baudelaire’s famous poem Invitation to Travel and offers viewers a journey through the extraordinary work of Henri Matisse, for whom travel itself was a constant source of inspiration. During his explorations in countries such as Italy, Spain, Russia, Morocco, the United States and Tahiti, Matisse was deeply influenced by nature and the different artistic cultures he encountered.

Matisse (Le Cateau-Cambrésis, 1869 - Nice, 1954) is considered one of the major figures in modern art, the most important of the Fauves. His innovative work has profoundly influenced generations of artists, from his contemporaries to the present day. Matisse redefined painting, introducing a lightness hitherto unknown in art. With more than seventy important works on loan from renowned European and American museums as well as private collections, the exhibition aims to highlight the development and variety of the artist’s pioneering work.

The exhibition tour starts with his earliest works dating back to 1900, passes through the revolutionary paintings of the Fauve period and the experiments of the 1910s, then moves on to the sensual paintings of the Niçoise period and the 1930s, culminating in the celebrated cutouts of the 1940s and 1950s.

Amultimedia area, created especially for the exhibition, brings the artist’s travels to life through animated historical photographs and wall panels. Photos and films also provide insights into his studies and creative process.

For info: https://www.fondationbeyeler.ch

Image: Henri Matisse, Luxury, Calm and Voluptuousness (1904; oil on canvas, 98.5 x 118.5 cm; Paris, Centre Pompidou, on loan to Musée d’Orsay, 1985 © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée d’Orsay) / Hervé Lewandowski)

At Fondation Beyeler a retrospective devoted to Henri Matisse, from early works to cutouts

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