Matisse Exhibition at Grand Palais: A Celebration of Colour & Form

A major exhibition dedicated to the final years of Henri Matisse opened to the public at the Grand Palais in Paris on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The exhibition, titled “Matisse. 1941-1954,” showcases over 300 works, including paintings, drawings, illustrated books, textiles, stained glass and the artist’s signature cut-out gouaches.

The exhibition focuses on a pivotal and often overlooked period in Matisse’s career, spanning from 1941 to his death in 1954. It explores how, even while facing health challenges – including surgery in 1941 – and the turmoil of wartime France, Matisse continued to innovate and redefine his artistic practice. As The Guardian noted in a review published March 20, 2026, the exhibition is a “dizzying, joyous celebration of colour.”

Central to the exhibition is Matisse’s development of the cut-out gouache technique. The Grand Palais exhibition highlights how he elevated this method – using paper cut into shapes and arranged into compositions – into a fully realized visual language. This technique allowed Matisse to explore decorative dimensions of his art and facilitated both reproduction and large-scale commissions.

The exhibition draws heavily from the collection of the Centre Pompidou, supplemented by significant loans from international institutions. Among the key works on display are the “Intérieurs de Vence” series (1947-1948), the album “Jazz,” and the “Thèmes et variations” series. Also featured are elements from the Chapelle de Vence program, the monumental panels of “La Gerbe et des Acanthes,” and iconic cut-out figures such as “La Tristesse du roi,” “Zulma,” “La Danseuse créole,” and “Les Nus bleus.”

According to the Grand Palais, the exhibition is designed to recreate the atmosphere of Matisse’s studio, offering visitors an immersive experience into his creative process. The display emphasizes that painting remained central to Matisse’s work even as he embraced the cut-out technique, with his canvases becoming increasingly expansive, vibrant, and colorful.

The exhibition runs until July 26, 2026. As of today, no statements have been released regarding potential extensions or international tours.