Often considered the most important French painter of the 20th century, Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954) is best known for the style of resplendent color and fluid lines shown in “Goldfish 1911.” A master painter, printer, sculptor, illustrator and collage artist, Matisse was originally a law student. First categorized as a Fauvist, his exceptional stylistic range included primitive art, impressionism and abstraction. Matisse described his art as a balance of serenity and purity filled with comforting subject matter. Acclaimed during his lifetime, his remarkable use of color and form continues to influence artists today.

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