Henri Matisse, one of the most important French artists, counts among the protagonists of Fauvism. After first impressionist steps in his early work, Henri Matisse would soon concentrate all his artistic powers on form, color and light, thus paving the path for Fauvism at the beginning of the 20th century. In the following he made paintings that became icons of this literally "wild" painting style: Lucent bright color surfaces merge to interiors, portraits, odalisques and landscapes, exuberant ornaments that neglect the perspective, conquer the entire image space like arabesques. Among the highlights of his late work are also the silhouettes, which Henri Matisse, ill and bedridden, cuts right from the color papers and almost "paints with his scissors". Besides that, the Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence, was designed as a total art work.
Works by Henri Matisse can be found in the most famous international collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York or the Eremitage in Saint Petersburg.