In focus: Henri Matisse

Discover Henri Matisse with Lucrezia Walker, tracing his journey from Fauvism to cut-outs and his lasting impact on modern art.

Join us for an in-depth exploration of Henri Matisse, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and a leading figure in the development of modern art. Born in northern France and initially trained in law, Matisse turned to painting in the 1890s, studying under Gustave Moreau in Paris. Influenced by artists such as Paul Cezanne and Paul Gauguin, he developed a bold, simplified style defined by vivid colour and expressive form. When his work was exhibited at the 1905 Salon d’Automne in Paris, critics famously described him and his contemporaries as ‘fauves’, French for wild beasts, marking the birth of Fauvism.

Through close looking at key works, this session will explore how Matisse used colour, pattern and composition to create striking and innovative images. From his early Fauvist paintings to later experiments in sculpture, printmaking and the celebrated paper cut-outs, we will consider how Matisse continually reimagined the possibilities of art. Working between Paris, Nice and beyond, his practice reflects both a deep engagement with tradition and a radical pursuit of artistic freedom that shaped the course of modern painting.

Lucrezia Walker lectures regularly for the National Gallery. She is Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina London Program where she teaches the undergraduate Art History course. She was Lay Canon (Visual Arts) at St Paul’s Cathedral where she continues to serve on the Visual Arts Committee. She has written several books on 19th- and 20th-century artists and art movements.

Can't make the session but don't want to miss out? No problem, you can watch again.

The session is recorded and made available to you for 2 weeks.

A video of the week's lecture will be uploaded and available for you to watch via your National Gallery account on Friday.

This is an online ticketed course hosted on Zoom. Please book a ticket to access the course.

Only one ticket can be booked per account.

You will be emailed an E-ticket with instructions on how to access the course via your National Gallery account. All course information including your Zoom link, weekly handouts, and recordings will be available here.