Local Art Critics Express Tribute On Death of Artist Henri Matisse

At critics at the University yesterday mourned the death of Henri Matisse. The outstanding French painter, who began hi career as an artistic rebel and became a tradition, died late Wednesday night of a heart attack.

Frederick B. Deknatel, William Dorr Boardman Professor of Fine Arts, last night called Matisse "the outstanding French painter of the 20th century. Picasso was his only rival," he said, "and Picasso was not a native Frenchman."

Echoing Deknatel's sentiments, J. W. Fowie, assistant professor of Fine Arts, stated, "To one who knows Matisse only in Matisses, this death will soon be irrelevant. Matisse will always promise exhilaration to eye and spirit and can only briefly be clouded by the familiar, poignant realization that one of the grand old men is gone."

Matisse would have been 35 years, old December 31. Although he had been ill since an intestinal operation in 1941 and was partly paralyzed, he had continued to work steadily until his death Wednesday night. His final work, the design for a stained glass window, was almost completed.

Essentially an individual throughout his life, Matisse did not submit to any artistic school, but continued his own experimentation. Famed as a painter of light, he was renowned for reducing aerial perspective to a minimum and for clear washing of pure, brilliant color which achieved a maximum of expression with great economy of means.

Unlike the work of his contemporary Pablo Picasso, whose work is often described as sardonic and reflective of 20th century violence, Matisse's painting is always serene and detached.

Although most of his most famous paintings are in galleries throughout France and Europe, a large number of his works are in this country. Fogg Museum here owns several of his original drawings and prints. One of his works, "Nude in a Chair," was just acquired by Fogg two weeks ago and is at present on special exhibit.