The Green Stripe
Henri Matisse · 1905
Why it's great
A woman's face is split by a vibrant green stripe down the nose, set against pink, orange and purple backgrounds. Matisse painted his wife Amélie in 1905, using color instead of ordinary shadows. Critics were baffled, but he said color could build a picture. It's a classic Fauvist work.
Where to see it
📍 Statens Museum for KunstCopenhagen, Denmark
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
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.
