Chicago Art Institute exhibition looks at enigmatic period in art of France’s Henri Matisse
By APFriday, March 19, 2010
Exhibit looks at enigmatic phase in Matisse’s art
CHICAGO — A new exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago takes a close look at one short and enigmatic phase in the 65-year-long artistic career of France’s Henri Matisse.
That phase began just before World War I, when Matisse suddenly abandoned his usual vivid colors and seemingly simple forms, replacing them with grays and blacks and using denser forms of composition.
Stephanie D’Alessandro of the Art Institute and John Elderfield of the Museum of Modern Art in New York believe Matisse decided to reinvent himself artistically and develop new methods of art construction.
The exhibition, “Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917,” runs at the Art Institute from March 20 through June 20, and at MoMA from July 18 through Oct. 11.
