National Gallery of Art: Henri Matisse

An in-depth look at how Matisse used color and at how contemporary theories about optics and color influenced his work. The essay describes how a group of artists along with Matisse--Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Seurat among them--became tired of the way impressionists characteristically used color and began to experiment with color in uncommon ways. Suggestions for student activities are also included.