An Art Event You Won't Want to Miss
Paris plays host until 26 July 2026 to one of the most anticipated exhibitions of the year: a retrospective dedicated to the final thirteen years of Henri Matisse's creative output, co-organised by the Grand Palais and the Centre Pompidou. Over 300 works drawn from the world's greatest collections are brought together for the occasion.
Matisse, an Artistic Genius Worth Discovering Anew
A leading figure of modern art and father of Fauvism, Henri Matisse needs little introduction. Yet this exhibition shines a light on a period that remains largely unfamiliar to the general public: his eighties, marked not by a slowing down, but by a startling creative boldness. Physically constrained, he invented a new gesture and, with it, a new language.
Scissors as Paintbrush
This exhibition tells the story of an artist who, rather than laying down his tools, chose to forge new ones. His cut-out gouaches, made by cutting directly into paper painted with gouache, emerge during these years as the true culmination of a lifetime's exploration of color and form. Far from the work of old age, this is the work of synthesis.
The Grand Palais's scenography does full justice to this richness: paintings, drawings, illustrated books, textiles and stained glass come together in a fluid, almost organic journey that the curators envisioned as a "garden" in perpetual transformation.
What You'll See
Among the highlights not to be missed:
- Blue Nudes and The Sorrows of the King, masterpieces of the cut-out gouaches
- Jazz, the manifesto-album of the "scissor drawing"
- The series Interiors at Vence and Themes and Variations
- Works connected to the Rosaire Chapel in Vence, a total artwork weaving together art, light and spirituality
Several of these pieces are rarely exhibited due to their fragility. Their presence here, gathered in one place, is an event in itself.
Practical Information
The exhibition spans several floors of the Grand Palais and is expected to draw large crowds throughout its run. Allow at least half a day to take it all in at a leisurely pace.
The team at Hôtel Moderniste is on hand to help you find the best time slots to visit or to plan your day in Paris.
Photo ©Gautier Poupeau - flickr