Henri Matisse ranks among the most acclaimed and imitated of modern artists, but his innovations shocked many of his contemporaries and only gained widespread acceptance after generating substantial controversy. By the late twentieth century, however, the influence of his bold style can be observed not only in the so-called fine arts but in virtually every facet of popular culture.

Born in Le Cateau-Cambresis, France, on December 31, 1869, Matisse was raised in northern France. His parents, Emile and Gerard Matisse, ran a kind of grocery store. Unlike many artists, he did not spend time drawing or painting as a child. He was expected to take over the family business or, with luck, become a lawyer. Matisse did study law in Paris for two years; but he unwittingly doomed his legal career when, in 1890 while working as a law clerk, he began attending early morning drawing classes meant for curtain designers...