Comparison of the Two Artists Matisse and Picasso - Essay Example

In the world of art, perhaps there are no two s that are more revered than that of Picasso and Matisse. Both famous in their own sense, these twoartist offered a breathe of fresh air into their time periods, and offered inspiration for generations to come. Even today, their artwork can speak across the lapse of time, and offer a doorway into their innermost feelings, their emotion, and their true talent at the canvas. These two artists are still revered to this day, and their artwork can give us a magnificent canvas of our own to use as a comparison of the two artists. Picasso once said that “No one has ever looked at Matisses painting more carefully than I; and no one has looked at mine more carefully than he”,(Unver), and this statement just demonstrates the closeness between the two artists styles, as well as their respect for each other. The two artists “represent a unique example in the history of arts by being a rival and getting inspiration from the art of one another with their intimate friendship of highest caliber over fifty years”(Unver). This complicated, but often respectful relationship between the two artists helped develop them into the painters that they came to be. When observing the two artist’s work, one can seen similarities, as well as places where they drew on each other for support and help, but at the same time keeping up with the rivalry that kept them working against each other. Two of their paintings, Picasso’s portrait of Sebastian Juner Vidal and Matisse’s Tea offer a good point of comparison at the works of these two artists. These two artworks have some similarities and difference painted into them, and keep true to the spirit of rivalry and competition between the two artists. Perhaps one of the most famous artists of the modern era, Picasso brought to life art unlike anyone before him, or anyone after him. Just to demonstrate his success “before his 50th birthday, the little Spaniard from Malaga had become the very prototype of the modern artist as public figure. No painter before him had had a mass audience in his own lifetime(Hughes). Picasso showed the art world how to be an artist in every sense of the word, and revitalized what it meant to be an artist. And Picasso fame lives to this day, where “No painter or sculptor, not even Michelangelo, had been as famous as this in his own lifetime. And it is quite possible that none ever will be again, now that the mandate to set forth social meaning, to articulate myth and generate widely memorable images has been so largely transferred from painting and sculpture to other media: photography, movies, television” (Hughes). On the other hand, we have Matisse. Matisse was the elder to Picasso, however Matisse was “a slower and more methodical man by temperament and it was Picasso who initially made the greater splash”(Pioch). Never to be one to live in the shadow of his friend and rival, Matisse has his own impressive career of art that he left behind. The two artists also different in their ability to pass on their knowledge and teach and train future artists; “Matisse, like Raphael, was a born leader and taught and encouraged other painters, while Picasso, like Michelangelo, inhibited them with his power: he was a natural czar” (Pioch). Despite these subtle differences, both of the artists found resolution and peace in their artwork, and have left behind great legacies for us to look at and try our best to understand what exactly they were trying to teach us. Both artists, while drawing on inspiration from each other, also used different styles and techniques in their art work. Matisse is often credited as being a master of color, for his vivid use of color in many of his paintings. His use of colors and skills of using them “reached its peak in 1917 when he began to spend time on the French Riviera at Nice and Vence. Here he concentrated on reflecting the sensual color of his surroundings and completed some of his most exciting paintings” (Hammerstingl). Matisse kept up his brilliant artwork until his death, and still today is celebrated as one of the best painters of the modern era. While Matisse was a master of color, Picasso was a prodigy in his own sense. Picasso soon became vividly adept in a myriad of different styles, all branching off the different periods historians break apart his artist career into. Picasso is most famous for his creation of the style of Cubism, however “before he struck upon Cubism, Picasso went through a prodigious number of styles - realism, caricature, the Blue Period, and the Rose Period”(Hoving). After the impact Picasso created the modern artist scene however “Every progressive painter, whether French, German, Belgian, or American, soon took up Cubism, and the style became the dominant one of at least the first half of the 20th century”(Hoving). Despite these differences in style between the two artists, many similarities can be found in their artwork. Matisse’s artwork Tea displays two people sitting down for some tea. Painted in 1919, this painting shows a typical scene that one could imagine taking place almost anywhere during 1919. The painting shows a dog sitting down off to the side, offering another glance at the normality and seemingly photograph quality of the painting. It shines with colors, offering contracts within itself. Between the yellow shades in the left hand side of the panting, and the bluer shades on the right side of the painting. This use of color shows Matisse’s adept mastery of which palates to use, and keeps the painting exciting to the eye. The green shades that area mixed between the two further demonstrate just how exact Matisse’s control of his brush was, and how masterfully he could get the vivid colorful image in his head unto the canvas. His unique style is demonstrated within this painting, and Matisse “is considered one of the two foremost artists of the modern period. His contribution to 20th-century art is inestimably great” (Cassatt). Matisse once said that “The essential thing is to spring forth, to express the bolt of lightning one senses upon contact with a thing. The function of the artist is not to translate an observation but to express the shock of the object on his nature; the shock, with the original reaction” (Ingrid), and this can be no truer shown in any of his paintings than in his painting of Tea. Matisse “shocks” the onlooker within this painting, and takes an everyday, almost menial task of sipping tea and displays it wonderfully. It is somewhat ironic how Matisse has his two subjects facing away from each other, almost the opposite of what the scene would look like in reality. Matisse painted the scene as an observer, but as a observer that the two people were aware of. One can almost imagine the two figures turning from their tea to look as Matisse watched on painting away, and it is that exact image that Matisse captures in this painting. The luxury of the tea kettle is also to be noted, as it is the center piece of the table, and also of the whole piece. One’s eyes are immediately drawn to the luxurious center piece, and it gives a beautifully drawn focal point for the entire painting. This is also helped by how large Matisse painted the tea kettle, making it the largest inanimate object in the entire painting. Contrast can also be seen within the two different people sitting at the table. The figure on the left is lit up with the yellows that are found on that side of the painting. The contrast is also continued, as the person on the blue shaded side also carries a subdued color scheme to match the bluer shades of the right side of the painting. This inner contract within the painting offers it balance, and even within that a balance of colors on each side. Truly, Matisse shows off his skills in this painting and displays his mastery of color. In his painting, Portrait of Sebastian Juner Vidal, Picasso also shows off his gifted artistic ability, and his natural ability to express himself through whatever medium he chooses. Painted in 1903, the Portrait gives us a gateway into a different era that Picasso was painting in, compared to the later Tea painting by Matisse (Portrait of Sebastian Juler Vidal). In this painting we see some of Picasso’s darker styles and more subdued color schemes being used. Painted almost entirely in blue and shades of blue and dark blue, Picasso shoes just how expertly an artist can use one color to define how a painting should look. Different from Matisse’s vivid and image like color of Tea. Picasso instead chooses to use a much simpler color palate for a much more dramatic effect. This Portrait was painted during Picasso’s Blue Period which took place from 1901-1904(Biography). This period demonstrated another time period in which Picasso tried to vary his style and experimented with different types of art. This specific painting was also painted before Picasso met Matisse. Matisse and Picasso first met in 1906, and from there continued to influence each other in their designs (Searle), and then continued to be friends and rivals throughout the rest of their careers. Picasso’s Potrait of Juner Vidal also shoes his unique portrayal of human figures. We see how Picasso shoes both the male and female figures, with the women in the background, a common theme of many of Picasso’s works. The women figure is also smaller and shaded in the corner, perhaps letting Picasso shed his true feelings on the female race, and female painters. Using art, Picasso was able to share his feelings with us, even all these years later. Two of art’s biggest mammoths, Picasso and Matisse both greatly contributed to the art world. Without these two artists, one cannot comprehend where modern art would be today. These two artists are singly handily responsible for the creating of more imitators and inspiration than any other modern artist. While none can replace the imagery, color, and majesty these two artists put into modern art, any artist creating or painting today draws from the many paintings these two artists left behind. Without Picasso and Matisse, the world of art would not have many of its creations it has today. Using many different new and unique styles, these two artists were able to create and redefine the path that modern art was going to take. Using their paint brushes as the guide, these two artists have guided art unlike any artist before them, and quite possibly any artists after them. Rivals, competitors, and fellow artists, but most importantly friends; Picasso and Matisse are among two of the greatest artist of the modern age. Works Cited: "Biography." 4 Jul 2007 . Cassatt, "Tea Paintings." 3 Jul 2007 . Hammerstingl, Werner. "Introduction to Matisse and Picasso." 3 Jul 2007 . Hoving, Thomas. "Pablo Picasso." 3 Jul 2007 . Hughes, Robert. "Pablo Picasso." Time 100. 3 Jul 2007 . Ingrid Schaffner: Henri Matisse, 1998, Harry N.Abrams, Incorporated, New York, ISBN 0-8362-1937-6 Pioch, Nicolas. "Matisse, Henri ." WebMusuem. 3 Jul 2007 http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/matisse/ "Portrait of Sebastian Juler Vidal." 3 Jul 2007 . Searle, Adrian. "A momentous, tremendous exhibition." 4 Jul 2007 . Unver, Bircan. "Two Monoliths of Modern Art: Matisse & Picasso." The Light Millennium. 3 Jul 2007 . Read More