Musée Matisse
The musée Matisse’s collection comprises works donated to the city by the artist and his heirs. Its presentation allows the public to fully experience the work of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Inaugurated in 1963, the museum is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year!
The musée Matisse’s collection comprises works donated to the city by the artist and his heirs. Its presentation allows the public to fully experience the work of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Inaugurated in 1963, the museum is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year!
Programme
The overwhelming power of colour
A dialogue with Yves Klein in the collection of the Nice Matisse Museum
Your journey through the permanent collection continues on this floor. Eight works by Yves Klein are showcased here, offering a unique counterpoint within the museum’s collection. This loan from the Nice Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC), currently closed for redevelopment, is part of their off-site exhibitions programme and highlights the dynamic collaborative research between the two museums in Nice.
After visiting an exhibition of Islamic art in 1910, Henri Matisse (1869-1954) expressed that he had found the way to “a larger space, a true plastic space”. In his pursuit of “something beyond real space”, he challenges the conventions of traditional painting. With his paper cut-outs, Matisse embraces an artistic radicalism that transcends all pre-existing frameworks during a time when technical progress in aviation “led to a new understanding of the sky, perspectives, and space.” This appropriation of space and this quest for ‘something beyond real space’ resonate with Yves Klein (1928-1962). As early as 1946, Klein “signed the back of the sky with his name, claiming this infinite space as one of his canvases”. The aim of this display is to propose an unprecedented juxtaposition of works by Klein, known for his “monochrome propositions” and “zones of pictorial sensitivity”, and Matisse, whose work extends far beyond the traditional concept of easel painting. For Klein, colour invades space in works without limits, blurring the edges as pure pigment overtakes the surface.
The collection
Seventy years after the death of Henri Matisse (1869-1954), it is remarkable how his work continues to be an inexhaustible source of wonder. Exceptionally open and diverse, Matisse’s creations can be interpreted in countless ways. His body of work, which carries the ability to speak to each of us, has made Matisse a universally recognised figure in popular culture. A chrono-thematic narrative, spread over four floors, highlights the breadth of the museum’s collection, inviting visitors to discover or rediscover the master’s oeuvre.
The museum’s collection, whose essence lies within the story of its origins, was built through the generosity of Henri Matisse and his family. This public collection, one of the largest in the world, offers a comprehensive overview of the artist’s work, the wide range of media he used and an insight into his aesthetic explorations.
Located just a few metres away from his former studio at the Regina in Nice, where the artist worked for more than thirty years, the museum explores the reception of Matisse’s work. It currently features dossier exhibitions or juxtapositions with other artists, such as “The Overwhelming Power of Colour”, a display dedicated to Yves Klein, presented on the museum’s first floor.
Access
Musée Matisse
164, avenue des Arènes de Cimiez
06000 Nice
+33 (0)4 93 81 08 08
musee-matisse-nice.org
Museum open daily except on Tuesdays:
From 10 am to 5 pm from November 1st to April 30th
From 10 am to 6 pm from May 2nd to October 31st
Ticket office closes 30 minutes before.
Closed on January 1st, Easter Sunday, May 1st and December 25th.
Locate other art venues in the vicinity on the map.
Discover our address book
PLACES TO DISCOVER
• Le musée d'archéologie de Nice/Cimiez : next to the Matisse museum and located on the archeological site of the Roman city of Cemenelum, where the remains are displayed.
• The monastery of Cimiez and its garden : don't hesitate to visit the Franciscan monastery, classified as a historical monument, to admire the works of the Nice primitive Louis Bréa. The garden, formerly the monks' orchard and vegetable garden, is now a bucolic setting where climbing roses bloom on ancient pergolas. A small terrace, adorned with a fountain and ponds, opens below and offers an exceptional view of the Paillon valley and, further on, the sea.
• The Cimiez cemetery: a short detour to the cemetery located behind the monastery will allow you to see the tomb of Henri Matisse, but also those of other painters like Raoul Dufy.
• The Cimiez district: take advantage of your visit to Cimiez to stroll through the streets around the museum. This residential area of Nice, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site, is of great architectural interest. It is home to luxurious Belle Époque residences, such as former palaces (e.g. the Régina, where Matisse's last studio was located) that have been converted into homes, or princely palaces of Moorish inspiration (the Alhambra).
• La chapelle du Rosaire à Vence: located 30 minutes by car from the museum, this total work of art entirely conceived by Henri Matisse is a must-see.
PLACES TO STAY
• L'hôtel Beau Rivage : it is in this hotel located on the Promenade des Anglais that Henri Matisse stayed the first time he came to Nice, at the end of December 1917.
PLACES TO EAT
There are few offers in the Cimiez district. The easiest way is to go back down to the city center (direct with buses n°5 and n°33) and, why not, sit down at the terrace of one of the restaurants of the Cours Saleya, where Matisse used to come for lunch when he lived in the Caïs de Pierlas palace, located on the Place Charles-Félix.
PLACES TO DRINK
A refreshment stand is located in the garden of the Arena, in the shade of the olive trees.
