Henri Matisse – Paris Itinerary

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was, along with his friend/rival Picasso, one of the pioneers of modern art in Paris in the early 20th century. His art aroused strong emotions among art lovers, so much so that when he exhibited his painting “Woman with a Hat” in 1905, some visitors to the exhibition tried to tear it with their nails…

So who was the man who caused such a huge stir that reverberated for years in the art world? He was born in the town of Cateau-Cambrésis, where Alexandre Dumas was also born . His parents wanted him to study law and become a lawyer, but appendicitis at the age of 21 completely changed his career path. While lying in bed and recovering, he received a set of paints as a gift from his mother and, since he had quite a bit of free time, he began to paint. It was a first brushstroke of love, which completely changed his life or, in his words: “The moment I held the box of paints for the first time, I realized that this would be my life. I pounced on it like an animal pounces on prey it particularly wants.” As a result, he arrived in Paris in 1891 and, like many artists, lived a life of poverty in a small, shabby apartment. At first, like any painting student, Matisse copied masterpieces, but he soon became bored and began to experiment boldly with the colors at his disposal. This is how his unique style was created, which would later be called Fauvist (from the word Fauve, meaning wild life).

The first to notice his genius were Gertrude and Leo Stein, an average American Jewish brother and sister, who arrived in Paris in the early 20th century and turned their home into a literary and artistic salon (you can find the apartment they lived in on the Paris itinerary following Hemingway , who was a good friend of Gertrude Stein). They bought the painting “Woman with a Hat,” which, as mentioned, caused a serious scandal, and introduced Matisse to Gertrude’s sister-in-law, Sarah Stein, who would become his enthusiastic patron. One evening in Gertrude Stein’s salon, Matisse met Picasso, and thus began a love/hate relationship that lasted years. Although their painting styles were completely different, which led to rivalry between them, both were revolutionary in nature and ultimately greatly appreciated each other’s work. Picasso later said of this, “No one has looked at a Matisse painting more attentively than I have, and no one has looked at my paintings more attentively than he has.”

Matisse found his inspiration in the bright colors and sunshine of southern France and returned to them many times. However, Paris is where his style developed both through trial and error and through fruitful encounters with art lovers and other painters. There is no doubt that without Paris, Henri Matisse could not have achieved the recognition and influence he achieved and although he left it in 1917 for good, a trip to the City of Lights is an excellent way to get to know him in depth.

Trip map

Instead of a map: Under the title of each station is its address, and each address is a link. Click on it, and the place will immediately open in Google Maps.

Henri Matisse's first apartment

12 Maine Street

We will start the tour by exiting the Gaîté metro station and walking north to avenue du Maine. From there, walk right to rue du Maine and there, at number 12, you will discover the small apartment where Matisse lived when he was a poor young painter. At that time, this part of Montparnasse was so far from the center that the building itself stood in the middle of a field and cows grazed in the meadow (try to imagine that).

The cafes of Montparnasse

Boulevard du Montparnasse, at the Vavin intersection

After you've seen Matisse's house, retrace your steps a little and head to Rue Delambre. Cross the street and on the way take a look at the hotel of the same name where Benny Amdorsky used to stay . Cross the street until you reach Boulevard du Montparnasse. Although Matisse wasn't a particularly social person, he could be found in one of the area's cafes, such as Le Dome, chatting with Picasso.

At the Steins

27 rue de Fleurus , and 58 rue Madame

Continue north on Boulevard Raspaille and turn right on Rue de Fleurus. At number 27, Gertrude Stein lived and in her literary salon, Matisse met Picasso, among others. Continue left to rue Madame where Sarah Stein, Gertrude’s sister-in-law, lived at number 58 and who became Matisse’s main patron after Gertrude Stein decided to join the “Picasso camp.” Also, at one time, 12 paintings by Matisse hung in this apartment, most of which she was later forced to sell.

The painting school where Matisse studied and another famous cafe

31 rue du Dragon , and 13 rue de l'Ancienne-Comédie

Continue to Rue Sabot and then turn left to Rue du Four, named after the large baking oven that stood there and served the residents of the area in the days when not every apartment had an oven. From there, continue to Rue du Dragon where at number 31 Matisse studied painting at the Academie Julienne. From there, continue north and turn onto Boulevard Saint-Germain . Turn left at rue de l'Ancienne Comedie and enter Café Procope at number 13. This was one of Matisse's favorite cafes when he was a young art student and where he liked to sit with his friends.

Henri Matisse's studio

19 quai Saint-Michel

From here continue right on rue Saint André des Arts and turn left on boulevard Saint Michel and from there right to the bank of the Seine. Here at 19, quai Saint-Michel Matisse lived twice in his life in two different apartments. This was also his first private studio, a significant milestone in his life as an artist and from there he painted the view of the Seine from his window.

Pompidou Center

Place Georges Pompidou

Cross the “Little Bridge” (Le Petit Pont) and walk along the rue Saint Martin until you reach the Centre Pompidou where you can find a very impressive collection of his works. Modern art lovers will surely be delighted to encounter works such as “Polynesia at Sea” while others can simply climb to the roof and enjoy a magical view of Paris. And you will all agree with me that there is no better way to end your trip.

Did you like this itinerary?

Want to follow in the footsteps of other famous people in Paris? You are welcome to visit the Paris Itineraries page and find a long list of other great itineraries that will allow you to discover the secrets of the City of Lights at your own pace and for free.