Entrée de Cabaret Breton
Henri Matisse
1896
On view : WORLD OF FLOWERS EXHIBITION HALL
More information
- YEAR:1896
- MEDIUM:Oil on canvas
- DIMENSIONS:38.2 × 46.1 cm
Introduction
In 1896, Henri Matisse—still a noted painter in the traditional Flemish style and not yet the leader of Fauvism—travelled to the coast of Brittany to escape the bustle of Paris and met John Peter Russell, who taught him the colour theory. It introduced him to Impressionism and the works of the then-unknown Van Gogh. This encounter sparked a series of pivotal artistic experiments and turning points in his career. Entrée de Cabaret Breton was created at this time of Matisse’s career. The painting depicts a seaside garden, with bright, dappled blocks of colour filling a flowerbed. Here, colour is no longer bound to realism but enters the realm of imagination and emotion, marking a significant step in Matisse’s transformation toward Fauvism.
