matisse at fondation beyeler: an invitation to journey through a modernist master’s work

A Rare Retrospective of Henri Matisse in Switzerland

The Fondation Beyeler’s latest exhibition, Matisse — Invitation to the Voyage, marks the first major retrospective of Henri Matisse in Switzerland and the German-speaking world in nearly two decades. Featuring over seventy significant works on loan from esteemed European and American museums, as well as private collections, the exhibition provides a comprehensive look at the artist’s six-decade career and his evolution as a key figure of modern art.

The exhibition traces Matisse’s development from his early works around 1900 to the revolutionary Fauvist paintings and experimental pieces of the 1910s. It covers the sensual art of his Nice period, the bold explorations of the 1930s, and culminates with his iconic paper cut-outs from the 1940s and 1950s. These phases reveal Matisse’s groundbreaking approach to color and form, which redefined painting and brought a lightness and vibrancy that continues to influence artists today.

installation view, image by Mark Niedermann; © Succession H. Matisse/ProLitteris, Zurich

Immersive Insights into the artist’s Process

Drawing inspiration from Charles Baudelaire’s poem Invitation to the Voyage, the Matisse exhibition at Fondation Beyeler embraces the theme of travel — both literal and imaginative. Matisse’s experiences in Italy, Morocco, Russia, Tahiti, and the United States deeply shaped his artistic vision. Visitors are invited to follow this thread as it weaves through his works, offering a unique perspective on how cultural encounters informed his use of color, light, and composition.

Beyond the artworks, the museum curates a multimedia space dedicated to Matisse’s travels. Historical photographs, films, and detailed wall panels provide context for his journeys and offer glimpses into his studio life and creative process. This immersive approach underscores the profound connection between Matisse’s art and the environments that inspired him.

installation view, image by Mark Niedermann; © Succession H. Matisse/ProLitteris, Zurich

A Reflection on Travel and Creativity at fondation beyeler

Among the standout pieces at the Fondation Beyeler exhibition are Matisse’s Fauvist works, such as The Open Window, Collioure (1905), which exemplifies his bold liberation of color. The Nice period paintings, characterized by their luxurious interiors and Orientalist influences, reveal a nuanced interplay of modernism and cultural exploration. Finally, the cut-outs — pioneering works created during his later years — exemplify Matisse’s enduring innovation and ability to distill form and color to their essence.

Matisse — Invitation to the Voyage offers more than a chronological survey of the artist’s oeuvre. It positions travel — both physical and metaphysical — as a central theme, illustrating how his journeys expanded his artistic horizons. Matisse once remarked that travel ‘enlarges the space around us,’ a sentiment that resonates throughout this exhibition as it celebrates his ability to translate those spaces into groundbreaking art.

installation view, image by Mark Niedermann; © Succession H. Matisse/ProLitteris, Zurich

installation view, image by Mark Niedermann; © Succession H. Matisse/ProLitteris, Zurich

installation view, image by Mark Niedermann; © Succession H. Matisse/ProLitteris, Zurich

Henri Matisse, Intérieur au rideau égyptien (Interior with an Egyptian Curtain), 1948, The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, acquired 1950 © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.

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Henri Matisse, Intérieur, bocal de poissons rouges (Interior with a Goldfish Bowl), 1914, Musée national d’art moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris, bequest of Baronne Eva Gourgaud, 1965 © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: © Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Philippe Migeatigeat

Henri Matisse, Intérieur rouge, nature morte sur table bleue (Red Interior: Still Life on a Blue Table), 1947, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf, purchased 1964 from a donation by Westdeutscher Rundfunk © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: bpk / Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf / Walter Klein

Henri Matisse, Intérieur au phonographe (Interior with a Phonograph), 1924, Pinacoteca Agnelli, Turin © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli, Turin

Henri Matisse, La fenêtre ouverte, Collioure (The Open Window), 1905, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, collection of Mr. and Mrs. John Hay Whitney, 1998 © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Henri Matisse, La grande robe bleue et mimosas (The Large Blue Robe and Mimosas), 1937, Philadelphia Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. John Wintersteen, 1956 © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: Philadelphia Museum of Art

Henri Matisse, Nu bleu I (Blue Nude I), 1952, Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel, Beyeler Collection © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: Robert Bayer

Henri Matisse, Composition à la croix rouge (Composition with Red Cross), 1947, private collection, © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: Robert Bayer

Henri Matisse, Les acanthes (Acanthuses), 1953, Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel, Beyeler Collection © Succession H. Matisse / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, photo: Robert Bayer

project info:

exhibition title: Matisse — Invitation to the Voyage

museum: Fondation Beyeler | @fondationbeyeler

artist: Henri Matisse

location: Baselstrasse 101, 4125 Riehen, Switzerland

on view: September 22nd, 2024 — January 26th, 2025

install photography: Mark Niedermann | @mark_niedermann