Trained originally in the French classical manner, Matisse was inspired
by the Impressionists and Cézanne to create a style that brought out the
beauty of color, form and line by reducing them to the bare essentials.
While considered a leader of the Fauves and an inspiration to most of
the great figures in modern art, he wasn't interested in being
associated with any school or trend. A family man who worked 'office
hours' in his studio, he defies the image of the artist as a tortured
soul. In a career spanning six decades, he produced masterpiece after
masterpiece that constantly challenge how we perceive color and form.