Henri Matisse quotes

Henri Matisse was a French artist, widely regarded as one of the most influential painters of the 20th century and a leading figure in modern art. His innovative use of color and bold forms changed the direction of visual arts. He became a pioneer of Fauvism and inspired generations of artists worldwide. Here are 88 of his quotes:

Drawing is like making an expressive gesture with the advantage of permanence.

Henri Matisse

An artist must possess Nature. He must identify himself with her rhythms, by effort that will prepare the mastery which will later enable him to express himself in his own language.

Henri Matisse

There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted.

Henri Matisse

Impressionism is the newspaper of the soul.

Henri Matisse

I have been no more than a medium, as it were.

Henri Matisse

It is only after years of preparation that the young artist should touch color - not color used descriptively, that is, but as a means of personal expression.

Henri Matisse

A picture must possess a real power to generate light and for a long time now I've been conscious of expressing myself through light or rather in light.

Henri Matisse

You study, you learn, but you guard the original naivete. It has to be within you, as desire for drink is within the drunkard or love is within the lover.

Henri Matisse

I don't paint things. I only paint the difference between things.

Henri Matisse

I wouldn't mind turning into a vermilion goldfish.

Henri Matisse

I don't know whether I believe in God or not. I think, really, I'm some sort of Buddhist. But the essential thing is to put oneself in a frame of mind which is close to that of prayer.

Henri Matisse

Exactitude is not truth.

Henri Matisse

Derive happiness in oneself from a good day's work, from illuminating the fog that surrounds us.

Henri Matisse

I simply put down colours which render my sensation.

Henri Matisse

To look at something as though we had never seen it before requires great courage.

Henri Matisse

An artist must never be a prisoner. Prisoner? An artist should never be a prisoner of himself, prisoner of style, prisoner of reputation, prisoner of success, etc.

Henri Matisse

What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter - a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.

Henri Matisse

The importance of an artist is to be measured by the quantity of new signs which he has introduced to the language of art.

Henri Matisse

Creativity takes courage.

Henri Matisse

A little while ago I took a nap under an olive tree, and the color harmonies I saw were so touching. It's like a paradise you have no right to analyze, but you are a painter, for God's sake! Nice is so beautiful! Alight so soft and tender, despite its brilliance.

Henri Matisse

I didn't expect to recover from my second operation but since I did, I consider that I'm living on borrowed time. Every day that dawns is a gift to me and I take it in that way. I accept it gratefully without looking beyond it. I completely forget my physical suffering and all the unpleasantness of my present condition and I think only of the joy of seeing the sun rise once more and of being able to work a little bit, even under difficult conditions.

Henri Matisse

Tomorrow, Sunday, at 4 o'clock, visit from Picasso. As I'm expecting to see him tomorrow, my mind is at work. I'm doing this propaganda show [at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, 1945] with him. I can imagine the room with my pictures on one side, and his on the other. It's as if I were going to cohabit with an epileptic.

Henri Matisse