HENRI MATISSE (1869- 1954) was one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. His vibrant works are celebrated for their extraordinary richness and luminosity of colour.

Matisse continued creating highly original works into his eighties when, confined to bed, he produced his famous series of lithographs designed from cut-outs, using paper hand-painted with gouache. “The paper cut-out allows me to draw in the colour ­ instead of drawing the outline and putting colour inside it...I draw straight into the colour.” 

The colours he used were so strong that he was advised by his doctor to wear dark glasses. The first lithographs were carefully supervised and prepared under his direction, a few days before his death. The process was completed posthumously by Tériade and published in 1958. We are grateful to the Hayward Gallery, London for the loan of this influential collection.

Work by local children will accompany the exhibition.  

A national touring exhibition from the Hayward Gallery.

Sponsored locally by Cornwall Paper Company