Once upon a time, in a small grey town about 3 hours north from Paris, a smart young boy was studying to become a lawyer. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, he never pursued his career in legal matters.

He had only turned 20 when he got very, very sick. Forced to stay bedridden for months, he felt like he had lost all meaning in his life. He felt helpless and depressed. But then one day, a small miracle happened that changed his life forever...

Concerned about her son’s health and eager to find ways to help him on his path to recovery, his mother brought him a box of paints. From that very moment, the young man had never stop painting—and would later became known as one of the most talented artists of the early 20th century.

His name was Henri Matisse.  

I’ve been fortunate to experience his genius at the exhibition dedicated to one of his greatest masterpieces, The Red Studio, that is currently on display at Copenhagen’s Statens Museum for Kunst.

Matisse’s work is truly exceptional. Alongside 1000+ paintings that he produced until his death at the age of 84, Matisse was also known for his sculptures, paper cuts, as well as his architecture and interior design. However, his legacy goes far beyond his artworks as such.

When you look at his paintings, you get a feeling that he knew something about life many other people wouldn’t necessarily be able to see, yet to comprehend. It is this wisdom about life, I believe, that makes his work so extraordinary.

Henri Matisse's Teachings About Life

“There are flowers everywhere for those who care to see them” ‍

Matisse’s life was far from picturesque. While he did enjoy a somewhat glamorous status as an artist, especially in his later years, his life was actually quite tough, marked by various health issues, financial struggles and public scrutiny, as well as by the war outbreak in Europe around that time. Some even say that he had battled with depression throughout his lifetime.

Matisse’s paintings, though, resemble anything but misery and sadness. Instead, his artwork looks colourful, bright and happy. Almost as he was trying to remind us that, “Hey, look, there is life out there despite of it all. And do you see that little flower over there? Isn’t that just worth celebrating?”  

Whether it was a small pot of cyclamen, the light coming through the window in his studio, or flowery patterns on a piece of fabric, Matisse indeed had a special eye for noticing the beauty in small things.

And while one could say that this might had been his way to escape from the harsh reality of life, it also indicates his great appreciation for nature and other wonders of being alive.

The little things in life, indeed!

“Creativity takes courage”

Even as a very young artist, Matisse understood that if he wanted to create something exceptional and innovative, he would need to follow his own path, even if that would mean going against the conventional thinking and challenging the status quo.

He once famously said:

“It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everybody else.”

Regardless, self-doubt did not turn him away from doing his own thing, sometimes even in provocation to prove his inner critic (as well as other endless critics out there) wrong.

There is an anecdote about the portrait of his wife Amélie, also known as The Green Line, that Matisse was working on back in 1905 and how it came to be. After receiving another harsh criticism with respect to his artistic expression and his unconventional use of colors, he famously went back to his studio and added the green stripe to Amélie’s face.

It should be noted that this very painting is considered today as one of the great masterpieces within 20th century portraiture!

Over and over again, Matisse decided to choose courage over fear. And this is what had eventually made him: Matisse.

Kindly,

Neva