Tate Modern’s new show Henri Matisse, The Cut-Outs is predicted to be their most successful yet. It’s easy to see why. The pictures are bright and colourful. They range in size from large to very large indeed. This is the sort of experience the Tate galleries were made for— 14 rooms of lively, visually engaging, and interesting forms whose impact survives the presence of large and noisy crowds. The explanation are helpful but not overwhelming— there is Matisse’s own written analysis of the process for those who wish to practice their French. And there is a satisfying mixture of the very familiar with the completely new.
The Tate has assembled 130 of these cut-outs from all over the world, many from private collections. Composed of pieces of gouache painted paper, cut and arranged, these are a unique form. While there is much repetition of favourite motifs, there is also a huge range of topics covered. The absence of nuance, of shading and fine detail, throws into the forefront first colour, and then form. From the Tate’s own brightly coloured The Snail to the sculpted outlines of the acrobats and of various nudes in blue, there is much to enjoy here.
But as affecting as the visual experience is the story. Matisse began to use cuts-outs as his health was failing and the act of painting became too demanding. He first used cuts-outs as ways of planning and perfecting the shape of paintings. But he quickly began to appreciate the potential of the technique and eventually felt that cut-outs surpasses canvas as an art form. He was particularly enamoured with the ability of cut-outs to transform a space, a real space, into an artwork and used his own home and studio as a base for developing this. The exhibit contains several poignant photographs documenting this process.
The work in this exhibition comes from the last seventeen years of Matisse’s long life. Whether they are seen as acts of creative genius or the productivity of a crafty businessman, they represent a phenomenal achievement for a man at the end of his life. For variety, craftsmanship, and sheer exuberance they would be a triumph at any age and create a very special exhibition.