Henri Matisse, who lived from 1869-1954, loved collecting things. He had objects all through his life, including pewter jugs, African carvings, and fluted porcelain bowls.
They show up frequently in his artwork, too.
Now London’s Royal Academy wants to give you a glimpse of the mind of the artist by showing you his belongings.
His possessions “travelled wherever he went like a working library,” notes The Guardian. “His letters frequently request some cherished pot or hanging to be sent on from Paris to Nice or Tangiers where it will be painted in different groupings over and again. A famous photograph from 1946 shows 40 prized possessions arranged by size – and perhaps seniority – like a school photograph. On the back, Matisse has written ‘Objects which have been of use to me nearly all my life.'”
The exhibit is called Matisse in the Studio.