The existence of Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was marked from the beginning by change: he was born on December 31, a hinge date if ever there was one, and from that moment until the end of his days the common thread of his life and his work consisted in breaking with the established. His disruptive conception of art -which in the circles of connoisseurs has led him to be considered “the other great artist of the 20th century” along with Picasso- has had echoes long after, as reflected in the exhibition Chez Matisse. The legacy of a new painting.
The exhibition, which can be visited from October 29, 2025 to February 22, 2026 at CaixaForum Madrid (Paseo del Prado, 36), goes through his career and evolution, but also the scope and influence he has had on international creators and avant-gardes through a wide selection of works, mostly from the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
While some artists are recognized by the brushstroke or the light , what mainly reveals Matisse is his innovative use of color: not in vain his exhibition for the Salon d’Automne in Paris in 1905 together with Albert Marquet, André Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck was the origin of Fauvism.
What was first a nickname of the critic Louis Vauxcelles (“fauves”, wild beasts) went on to become the first avant-garde movement of the 20th century, with great influence on painters all over Europe. In addition to the use of bright colors, the use of an unusual framing that flattens the perspective or the spontaneous touch that dynamizes the entire surface are also characteristic of his work, according to the Centre Pompidou.
Matisse, an “absolute master” in constant evolution
In coherence with this , he explored different movements, techniques and disciplines: he is considered a total artist because he not only painted, but also drew, engraved, modeled, cut….
It was an attitude with which he also faced his own old age: when his body no longer responded, he devised all kinds of tricks to continue creating even though he could barely move from his bed.
Maruja Mallo, another great exhibition coming up in October
On October 8, another great exhibition will also open in Madrid: the one dedicated to Maruja Mallo by the Reina Sofia Museum under the title Maruja Mallo: Máscara y compás (Maruja Mallo: Mask and Compass), which will bring together more than 80 pieces including paintings, drawings, documents and writings. You can check the details in this article.