Tomorrow, October 29, 2025, the eagerly awaited exhibition Chez Matisse. The legacy of a new painting. The reason for so much expectation? The exhibition brings to the capital a wide selection of masterpieces directly from the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
The exhibition offers the people of Madrid the opportunity to immerse themselves in the universe of the French genius, known for his disruptive conception of art and for being, together with Picasso, the other great pillar of the 20th century. The exhibition promises a journey through his evolution and the enormous influence that his work continues to exert.
This is not a simple retrospective. The exhibition explores Matisse’s entire career and the immense dialogue he generated in art. The centerpiece is his innovative and revolutionary use of color. In fact, it was an exhibition of his in 1905 that gave birth to Fauvism, the first avant-garde movement of the 20th century, after a critic dubbed Matisse and his colleagues “wild beasts” (fauves) because of the vividness of their palettes.
Which of the Pompidou’s masterpieces can be seen in Madrid?
The collaboration with the Parisian museum allows the Madrid public to be in front of fundamental pieces that rarely travel. It will be possible to see works that defined his career, such as the iconic Luxe, calme et volupté (Luxury, calm and voluptuousness ) of 1904, which marked a before and after in the use of color.
In addition, the selection includes key canvases such as Marguerite au chat noir (Marguerite with a Black Cat) from 1910, or the monumental La tristesse du roi (The King’s Sadness ) from 1952, one of his final compositions. The exhibition also highlights that Matisse was a “total artist”, showing his facet as a draftsman, engraver and sculptor, not only as a painter.