Nono Lebasque 1908

Henri Matisse painted this portrait called Nono Lebasque with oils on cardboard, but the exact date remains unknown. The Fauvist movement prized individual expression and rejected traditional artistic values, with Matisse at the helm. It influenced art institutions and galleries, challenging academic styles and broadening the definition of fine art to include art forms from outside the European tradition. Note how the artist employs simplified forms, bold colours, and flattened perspective. This departure from representational accuracy, while still legible as a portrait of a young woman, opened the door for future generations of artists to create more abstract and subjective works. To better understand the social environment of this artwork, you might want to research the role of women in early 20th-century French society, the development of modern art movements, and the changing institutional landscape of the art world.