THE LEGACY OF
H E N R I MA T I S SE
Letter From The Editor
‘I
t was a few years ago, when I first saw one of Matisses artworks and I immediately fell in love with the artist. His paintings are amazing and very interesting. -- His simplicity, is the way to my heart.
Henri Matisse is a painter born in 1869 in Nothern France. He later moved to Paris as he intended to study law. That was before he found his true calling and became an artist. Matisse was a great succes and will definitely never be forgotten. Not only did he make paintings of people, mostly woman, but he also mastered himself to make art with the most simple, but beautiful forms. How is this implemented in the fashion world? In all the paintings of Matisse, you see his style coming back for sure. His style has everything to do with forms, but mostly with how those froms doesn’t have to be perfect. Most painters will do everything to give a human the ‘perfect’ body. But what is perfect? It changes througout the years and then still, is an ‘ideal’ body type not reachable for everyone. Nowadays, we’re doing a good job and we’re trying to create a safe place on earth for everyone. Body positivity, plussize models and selflove are much discussed topics. But that was different in that time. Nevertheless, if you look at Matisses paintings you will notice that the man and woman on it, will never be fully realistic, which is a beautiful way of prasing the human body in all its ways. All bodies mattered in his work, which is a very good example for the fashion industry, and he already did that in 1907! Whether Henri Matisse really was and is an inspiration to accept body types, colors and all forms in the fashion industry, is hard to say. But he is definitely playing a role in the history of the ‘fauvism’, and he will always be a role model for many with such a great legacy that he has left behind.’
Anna Kat, Editor-In-Chief
‘THERE ARE ALWAYS FLOWERS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE THEM.’
- Henri Matisse
The well-dressed Henri Émile BenoÎt Matisse standing in his atelier, surrounded by his paintings and artworks.
The Masters Of Simplicity
T
he famous painter, Henri Matisse, is mostly known for his simple and colorful style. His fine line artwork has made an impact on many hearts and that type of drawing is still used heaps nowadays. How has this impacted the fashion industry?
In the last edition of the zine ‘Tattoos and fashion, are they related?’ is explained why tattoos are actually a part of the fashion industry. And once again it’s proven that it’s a truth we can’t deny anymore. The fine line art style of Henri Matisse is totally coming back and it’s becoming a trend. Not only in clothing designs, but also in the tattoo industry! In an interview with tattoo artist Joey de Boer in the last edition of the zine it already became clear that this trend was upcoming, mostly by woman. Even though tattoos have a long brief history and they go further back than Henri matisse, they’re constantly changing and adapting to styles and trends goin on in the fashion world. This new upcoming fine line trend is, according to de Boer, also related to his old love, gravity! In all three named styles, Matisses paintings, fine line tattoos and gravity, form and lines are the most important factor for the outcome, which brings everything together again in the end. In the end, there are of course heaps of differences between art and fashion. Art is mostly 2D, while fashion is 3D and you experience it way different because of that. Still, you see some things connecting pretty nice. It’s good to see how history will never get lost and how the greats, like Henri Matisse, Picasso or Van Gogh will never be forgotten either. How does it feel for an artist to be so famous and to be such a big name in the history of art and the culture of France? Unfortunately we can’t ask Matisse himself anymore, but oh, how proud he would’ve been to see his art and his fine line style on people’s arms, T-shirts and walls! Thank you for your legacy, Matisse.
‘Young woman smiling’ by Henri Matisse.
‘Blue Nude’ by Henri Matisse, 1907.
Model, unknown, posing almost the same as the lady in ‘Blue Nude’ by Henri Matisse.
‘Interior at Nice’ by Henri Matisse, 1917.
The legacy of Henri Matisse
H
enri Matisse is a big name in the history of art. He didn’t paint an ideal, he used a lot of colors and his style was one of a kind. But what did he really left us with? What is it that people see and immediately think of Matisse?
One of the most recognizeable things from the style of Matisse is definitely color, simplicity and ‘fauvism’, the style that lasted from 1904 till 1908 and came back a few years later. Fauvism is the style of Les Fauves, and it prefered bright colors over realism. This is something Matisse always had, art and his style over realism. That fauvism, is used more often nowadays then back in the beginning of the 20th century, is sure thing. But, the inspiration of todays art is still from the artists from the early 20th century. Matisse and Derain, also a French painter, were the leaders of the The art from back in the days is not only used for tattoos, but also for the rest of nowadays fashion. More often you see T-shirts, phone cases, shoes etc. with art from famous painters. On the right, you see a T-shirt with a painting from Matisse, and that for sure isn’t the only one on the market. Art is also used on the runways. Versace used pop-art influences in their ready-to-wear fashion show in Spring 2018. Not only Versace used art as an inpsiration for a collection, also Jeremy Scott, Dior, Calvin Klein, Prada and the list goes on. Remarkable is, that only art styles like Fauvism and Pop-art are used. This is probably due to the beautiful colors and forms. And by that you see, what an influence the history has on Fashion. Not only trends from years and years ago come back every now and then, but also art. Once again we see, we are not makers of the story, we are made by history.
‘It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.’ - Pablo Picasso This may not be the most beautiful painting you’ve ever seen, but it still attracts your eye. It’s not perfect, detailed or totally correct, but isn’t that what appeals us? And isn’t that even harder to create? Not many people are able to draw with a sort of simpelness, childness, to make it look like you did no effort, but you still immediately see what it is. That is one of the many talents of Henri Matisse. How he is able to draw a room with just a few colors in his own style, is a true art. And like picasso said: ‘It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.’
‘The red room’ by Henri Matisse.
He who loves, flies, runs and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back.
- Henri Matisse
THE LEGACY OF HENRI MATISSE
Edition 6 - 7th of June 2020
BY A N N A K A T