It was supposed to be an exhibition about Matisse and, of course, the master’s early efforts were fun to see and compare to the works of some of his contemporaries. But for me it was the few paintings by the Algerian artist Baya Mahieddine or Fatima Haddad, a woman I had never heard of, and who apparently had a significant influence on Matisse, as well as Picasso, that made the show at the Caixa Forum in Barcelona particularly enlightening. Here are a couple of her later paintings.
And here are a couple of Matisse’s early efforts.
There’s even a room where you can make your own Matisse.
It’s all in an old converted factory near the Plaza Espanya. Well worth a visit.
AndrewJamison 