ECE 580 Art Study

Jess Keila

Title: Purple Robe And Anemones (1937)

Artist: Henri Matisse (1869-1954)
Style: Fauvism
Fauvism was an artistic style that began around the 1910s. It was a style of painting that utilized vivid
expressionistic and non-naturalistic use of color. This movement flourished in Paris from 1905. Matisse
was regarded as the movement's leading figure.

Details: Oil on canvas. Measure 28 x 23 inches (73 x 60 cm)

Notable Facts:

Currently on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art

Henri Matisse nicknamed The Master of Color
Matisses art is most famous for its bright colors and vivid patterns
The subject/model of the painting is Lydia Delectorskaya
Matisse did not want to capture a realistic image of Lydia
Matisse knew Pablo Picasso, but they soon became enemies

Curricular Connections:
Area Connection Creative Language Arts

List all of the different objects you can find in the painting and incorporate them in a story
Read Pigasso and Mootisse by Nina Laden
Read Matisse the King of Color by Laurence Anholt
Write a story from Lydia's perspective
Have children write a story where they create their own back-story to the painting of Matisse created
of Lydia
Art

Have children create a painting using fauvism

Have children create a painting wherein they outline the main subjects with black marker, and then
paint in the background colors with watercolor paints
Learn about the context of the Painting and Matisse's art forms
Create artwork using cutouts of shapes
Have students create an art piece using varying patterns instead of solid colors
Have children create a painting where they use a repetitive pattern in the backgroundMusic

Listen to Sesame Street: Spring Symphony in the Meadow

Listen to a famous piece of French music created in 1937 (Albert Roussel - Joueurs de Flte)
Sing a song about the colors (specifically ones used in this painting)Movement

Have students practice posing for paintings to see what Lydia had to do back in 1937
Have students demonstrate how the picture would have turned out differently if Lydia had been sitting
in a different position
Go on a nature walk and see if you can find patterns in nature similar to the patterns used in this
painting Play

Create a dramatic play area that has a robe, some old wall paper, flowers, books, etc. to recreate the
scene of the photo. Children can pretend that they are the new subject of the painting
Have students look around for flowers during playground time that Matisse could have used in this
painting
Play online game Matisse's Pieces with children (http://www.toytheater.com/matisse-pieces.php)
Have children play I Spy and identify all of the various objects that are seen in the painting