For the first time in Germany in over twenty years, the Düsseldorf exhibition is displaying an extensive overview of the works of the painter and sculptor Henri Matisse (1869-1954). Around 200 artworks allow visitors to trace the Frenchman's artistic development from his early beginnings, through his fauvistic period and onto his late phase of ethereal paper cut-outs. In addition to paintings and drawings, the display also includes ensembles of his bronze sculptures and examples of his graphic art.

The selection focuses on a central subject of Matisse: the female figure in an interior setting. Exquisite collections on loan from international museums and private collectors illuminate this rich subject matter, while historic photographs shed light on the circumstances in which the artworks were created and received. In view of this opportunity for a rare in-depth look at the works of Matisse, it is not surprising that the exhibition has been a great success with the public right from the start.