<p>Spanning six decades of the artist's work, <i>Matisse: Life & Spirit</i> presents an extraordinary immersion in the range and depth of the art of Henri Matisse, one of the world's most beloved, innovative and influential artists.<br> <br> <br> <br> The works reach from his early adventures in colour as a Fauvist through to the serene and distilled designs for his chapel in Vence in the south of France. Through paintings, drawings, sculptures and a compelling presentation of his triumphant cut-outs, it reveals how Matisse renewed his vision time and again over his long career, seeking new ways of celebrating the seen world and expressing the energy he felt in it.<br> <br> <br> <br> Highlights include the especially important early work <i>Le luxe I</i> 1907; the mid-career masterpiece <i>Decorative figure on an ornamental ground</i> 1925; and the majestic self-portrait, <i>The sorrow of the king</i> 1952, one of the largest of the famous cut-outs that the artist created in his late career.<br> <br> <br> <br> Filled with brilliant colour, dynamic energy, visual joy and emotional power, <i>Matisse: Life & Spirit</i> offers an inspirational journey through the life and art of this ceaselessly inventive and life-affirming painter.<br> <br> <br> <br> Developed in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which holds an exceptional collection of works by the artist, <i>Matisse: Life & Spirit</i> is the greatest single exhibition of Matisse masterworks ever to be seen in Sydney.<br> <br> <br> <br></p>