The Snail
The Snail (L'escargot) is a collage by Henri Matisse. The work was created from summer 1952 to early 1953. It is pigmented with gouache on paper, cut and pasted onto a base layer of white paper measuring 9'43⁄4" × 9' 5" (287 × 288 cm). The piece is in the Tate Modern collection in London.[1]
| The Snail | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Henri Matisse |
| Year | 1953 |
| Type | Gouache on paper |
| Dimensions | 287 cm × 288 cm (112 3⁄4° in × 108 in) |
| Location | Tate Gallery, London |
It consists of a number of colored shapes arranged in a spiral pattern, as suggested by the title. Matisse first drew the snail, then used the colored paper to interpret it. The composition pairs complementary colors: Matisse gave the work the alternative title La Composition Chromatique.[1] From the early-to-mid-1940s Matisse was in increasingly poor health, and was suffering from arthritis. Eventually by 1950 he stopped painting in favor of gouaches découpées, paper cutouts.[2] The Snail is a major example of this final body of works.
References
- Henri Matisse, The Snail 1953, Tate Gallery, retrieved August 5, 2012]
- "Henri Matisse" Archived 2008-08-04 at the Wayback Machine, Pompidou Centre. Retrieved 25 December 2007.