#w

He who loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#back #flies #free #him #holds

I don't paint things. I only paint the difference between things. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#between #difference #i #only #paint

An artist must possess Nature. He must identify himself with her rhythm, by efforts that will prepare the mastery which will later enable him to express himself in his own language. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#efforts #enable #express #her #him

A young woman has young claws, well sharpened. If she has character, that is. And if she hasn't so much the worse for you. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#claws #hasn #much #sharpened #she

A picture must possess a real power to generate light and for a long time now I've been conscious of expressing myself through light or rather in light. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#conscious #expressing #generate #i #light

I have been no more than a medium, as it were. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#i #medium #more #than #were

I have always tried to hide my efforts and wished my works to have a light joyousness of springtime which never lets anyone suspect the labors it has cost me. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#anyone #cost #efforts #hide #i

I would like to recapture that freshness of vision which is characteristic of extreme youth when all the world is new to it. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#extreme #freshness #i #like #new

In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you start walking on a tightrope. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#before #beginning #firmly #ground #in the beginning

Instinct must be thwarted just as one prunes the branches of a tree so that it will grow better. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#branches #grow #instinct #just #must