Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse, born in 1869 in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France, was a leading figure in the development of modern art in the early 20th century. Initially studying law, Matisse’s encounter with painting during a period of illness in 1889 marked the beginning of his artistic career. He moved to Paris in 1891 to study at the Académie Julian and later at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he honed his craft and developed a distinctively modern approach to art. Matisse’s early works were influenced by Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, particularly the colour theory of Paul Gauguin and the formal innovations of Paul Cézanne.

In 1905, Matisse became a central figure in the Fauvist movement, which rejected the muted tones of traditional academic painting in favour of vibrant, unmodulated colour. Fauvism was short-lived, but it had a lasting impact on Matisse, who continued to explore the expressive potential of colour throughout his career.

Matisse’s stylistic evolution is marked by an increasing emphasis on simplification and abstraction. In the 1910s, he began to focus more on the structural aspects of form, where colour and shape are used to create dynamic compositions that evoke movement and rhythm. His work during this period sought to remove superfluous detail, aiming for a purity of expression through colour and form.

In the 1940s, Matisse's health began to decline, but his creative output remained prolific. Forced to work from a wheelchair, Matisse developed his iconic cut-outs, where he used vibrant coloured paper to create abstract compositions of fluid forms.

Matisse’s influence on the course of modern art is immeasurable. His work profoundly impacted the development of abstraction and colour theory, and his innovative approach to form continues to resonate with contemporary artists. Matisse’s legacy as a master of colour and composition endures, with his work housed in major institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Prints I wish I had published

11 January - 9 February 2019

In 1969 Bernard Jacobson opened his first London gallery – a fourth-floor walk-up on Mount Street, Mayfair, dealing in prints by international stars, including Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg, as well as publishing prints by leading British artists including Malcolm Morley and Robyn Denny. Printmaking fit the radical, pop sensibility of the time, and Jacobson was part of that heady explosion of interest in the medium. As the gallery approaches its half century in 2019, it is fitting that this landmark year opens with an ambitious two-part exhibition exploring Jacobson's personal and abiding love of prints and some of the remarkable works published by the gallery during an eventful 50 years in the business.

Henri Matisse: Prints

6 July - 15 September 2018

Bernard Jacobson Gallery is delighted to announce a wide ranging exhibition featuring more than 60 rare and important works from the Gallery’s comprehensive collection of Henri Matisse prints, currently the largest and most significant collection of Matisse prints held by any commercial gallery in the world.

Henri Matisse: Painting, Sculpture, Drawing, Prints

2 June - 23 October 2017

Bernard Jacobson Gallery is delighted to announce Henri Matisse: Painting, Sculpture, Drawing, Prints, an exhibition of more than a dozen of original works by one of the greatest masters of the twentieth century. The exhibition includes paintings, works on paper, and sculptures, as well as a selection of prints. The show is timed to coincide with the forthcoming Royal Academy exhibition Matisse in the Studio, which will open this August.