AllMovie

Each episode of Portrait of an Artist explores the life and work of an important visual artist. From the careful consideration of the works themselves, to the influences that played upon their creator's lives, each tape in the series offers a portrait of the artist in context. In this particular episode, the early life and work of Henri Matisse is examined, from his earliest canvasses to his decoration of a chapel in Venice. The program explores how Matisse developed his obsession with the colors that fill negative space.