What was Henri Matisse famous for?

Henri Matisse was famous for his work as a draftsman, sculptor, printmaker and painter. He is especially well known for his use of color. Although classically trained at the Académie Julian in Paris, he quickly abandoned traditional techniques and genres to pioneer a style all his own, marked by quick gestural strokes and fluid contours. Along with fellow painter André Derain, Matisse was the leading proponent of Fauvism, a movement whose name is derived from the French word for "wild beast." Marked by vibrant hues, Fauvist paintings like Matisse's famous 1906 composition Le bonheur de vivre use wild, active brushstrokes and a palette unconstrained by nature. Shop an assortment of Henri Matisse art on 1stDibs.