Matisse's Safrano Roses at the Window (1925). ©Succession H. Matisse/DACS 2017
Matisse in the Studio
Royal Academy, 5th August to 12th November
Matisse’s revolutionary art was inspired by his most intimate surroundings. He kept objects—souvenirs of travels to North Africa or Tahiti; a Roman torso; a pewter jug; a statue of the Thai goddess Nang Thorani; kuba textiles from Africa. These objects find their way time and again into his paintings, each time differently transfigured. For this exhibition, around 35 objects will be displayed alongside 65 of Matisse’s paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and cut-outs.
Face to Face: The Figurative Sculpture of Sean Henry
The Lightbox, Woking, 12th August to 5th November
Sean Henry, born in Woking in 1965, creates poignant life-size painted bronze statues of anonymous people caught in sleep or reflection. Their vulnerability is manifest in their expressive postures and virtuosically wrinkled clothes. They have appeared in America to Norway, Germany and the UK. This significant show at the enterprising Lightbox displays work from the last 15 years, in the gallery and town.
The Truest Mirror of Life: 19th-Century French Caricatures
Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow, 8th August to 21st January 2018
“Trivial images,” wrote Baudelaire, “are often the truest mirror of life.” This display honours the coming of age of caricature in 19th-century France, when Honoré Daumier, “Gavarni” and “Cham” delighted readers with their sharp depictions of contemporary life. The Hunterian in Scotland hosts these wry portraits of a country in political upheaval.
