Matisse’s background illustrates his deep connection to textiles. Born into a family of weavers and originating from a region renowned for its textile industry, Henri Matisse (1869–1954) initially collected fabrics from his own region before expanding his collection to include non-European textiles, such as Kuba fabrics from the Congo and Oceanian tapa cloths.
Used both as decorative elements in still lifes and interiors, and as garments for his models, textiles therefore occupy a recurring place in Matisse’s work.
Furthermore, photographs of the artist’s studios confirm the abundance of textiles in Matisse’s everyday surroundings, serving as a source of inspiration and a resource for the creation of his pictorial compositions.
The exhibition also explores the impact of textiles on the artist’s creative process across drawing, printmaking, painting, and costume design.
Finally, The Adventure of Fabric invites visitors to discover the influences of the West, followed by those of the East, before focusing on Polynesia and concluding with the creation of the chasubles for the Matisse Chapel in Vence.