Matisse and Picasso

3 units

Matisse and Picasso will be considered individually as well as in relation to such artistic movements as Cubism, Fauvism, and Surrealism. This course examines their work in all media (painting, sculpture, decorative arts, theater, and printmaking) and explores their response to the political environment of modern France, including the two World Wars. The course is timed to coincide with a major exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum in the spring of 1999, which will include key works by Picasso and Matisse. Weekly class meetings plus several required visits to the exhibit and to special lectures at the Saint Louis Art Museum.