French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954)—one of the 20th-century’s great masters. A key figure in Fauvism, a movement whose emphasis on pure, vivid color strongly influenced 20th-century art, Matisse thereafter devoted himself to experimenting with bright colors and shapes that appeal directly to the senses and remained an art revolutionary until his death at 84. 

This exhibition, the first large-scale Matisse retrospective in Japan in twenty years, will be held with the full cooperation of the Centre Pompidou, home to one of the world’s largest Matisse collections. Through major works from every phase of the artist’s career—not only paintings but sculptures, drawings, prints, cut-outs, and even materials related to his final masterpiece, the Chapel of the Rosary of Vence—it will trace the creative journey, filled with rich color and light, of a great master.

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The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum was established in 1926 as Japan's first public art museum. The museum holds many exhibitions throughout the year, including special exhibitions featuring masterpieces from Japan and abroad, as well as a wide variety of independent and public exhibitions by art organizations.

In addition, the museum is not only a place to view artwork, but also conducts a variety of projects as a "gateway to art," such as the "Art Communication Project," which aims to connect people to artwork, people to people, and people to places, and to foster a community through art.

The current building, built in 1975 and designed by Kunio Maekawa, a master of Japanese modernist architecture, is one of the highlights of the museum, with its attractive harmony between urban space and the nature of Ueno Park. Admission to the museum is free, so feel free to visit the restaurant, café, and museum store inside the museum.

Henri Matisse: The Path to Color

Artists

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