Artist

Henri Matisse

1869–1954 · born in Le Cateau-Cambrésis · died in Nice

Henri Matisse was born in northern France and began painting after an illness at age 20. He lived in Paris and then in Nice in the south, where he painted in bold, free colors. He was the leader of Fauvism, whose name means 'wild beasts', and later made colorful paper cut-outs. He died in Nice in 1954.