Beasts of the Sea
1950
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gouache on paper, cut and pasted on white paper, mounted on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 295.5 × 154 cm (116 5/16 × 60 5/8 in.) gross weight: 63.504 kg (140 lb.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CMC
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1973.18.1
Art Historical Context
Henri Matisse’s *Beasts of the Sea* (1950) exemplifies the artist’s late-career innovation with the cut-paper technique he called “drawing with scissors.” Confined to his bed or wheelchair after surgery, Matisse directed assistants to paint large sheets of paper with vibrant gouache, which he then cut into bold, organic shapes and arranged into lively compositions. The resulting collage, mounted on canvas, measures nearly ten feet tall, allowing viewers to feel immersed in its rhythmic play of form and color. Created during Matisse’s final decade, the work reflects his lifelong pursuit of pur...
About the Artist
Henri Matisse · 1869–1954
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was a French painter, draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor who is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and the greatest colorist of his era. Born in Le Cateau-Cambresis in northern France, Matisse initially studied law before discovering his passion for art during a period of convalescence at age 20. He became the leading figure of F...