In all my time visiting galleries and exhibitions, I had never seen Matisse's cut-outs so the exhibition at Tate Modern was a revelation.
The colours and scale of the works were breathtaking. Each sheet of paper was painted in gouache and then cut out, seemingly freehand but in a film clip showing the artist at work the image was faintly discernible. Each image was pinned up onto a wall or door that had been covered in large sheets of paper to finalise the layout. Matisse had several rather beautiful young women helping in his studio, perhaps the equivalent of today's intern, although I would like to think that they had been paid for their work.
A large picture of the Madonna and Child was drawn in charcoal, which was fixed to a stick about six feet long with Matisse sometimes standing on a box to reach the surface. I find it hard to draw in this medium, let alone using a long stick. The drawing is vibrant and energetic in its line but nonetheless serene.
What came as a complete surprise to me was the sheer size of many of the works. They envelop the viewer in bright colour and energy. Mima, aged 3, liked picking out elements in the works - fishes, birds, flowers - and was particularly taken with the mock-up stained glass window, as was I. Just beautiful. All the pieces could be the inspiration of a large body of textile work, as long as they don't turn out as 'wanna-be Matisses'....
The colours and scale of the works were breathtaking. Each sheet of paper was painted in gouache and then cut out, seemingly freehand but in a film clip showing the artist at work the image was faintly discernible. Each image was pinned up onto a wall or door that had been covered in large sheets of paper to finalise the layout. Matisse had several rather beautiful young women helping in his studio, perhaps the equivalent of today's intern, although I would like to think that they had been paid for their work.
A large picture of the Madonna and Child was drawn in charcoal, which was fixed to a stick about six feet long with Matisse sometimes standing on a box to reach the surface. I find it hard to draw in this medium, let alone using a long stick. The drawing is vibrant and energetic in its line but nonetheless serene.
What came as a complete surprise to me was the sheer size of many of the works. They envelop the viewer in bright colour and energy. Mima, aged 3, liked picking out elements in the works - fishes, birds, flowers - and was particularly taken with the mock-up stained glass window, as was I. Just beautiful. All the pieces could be the inspiration of a large body of textile work, as long as they don't turn out as 'wanna-be Matisses'....