Henri Matisse

Rejecting the perfectionist styles that surrounded him during his youth, French Fauvist artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954) found himself yearning for quite the opposite. His highly progressive works, many of which challenged societal norms, were characterized by dramatic use of colour and highly exaggerated human forms. He spent more than six decades perfecting his rebellious style, painting everything from bold nudes to the mundane moments of everyday life.