The Chapel of Vence Art and Enlightenment - 1008 Words

The Chapel of Vence: Art and Enlightenment Best known for his use of color, Henri Matisse cleverly cultivated his status as a modern artist using many different styles of painting from Impressionism to Fauvism. The artwork of Matisse has been a milestone in the history of painting. Henri Matisse’s self-proclaimed masterpiece, however, a chapel in Vence, France, is a small, minimalist building. The amalgamation of modern art and the sacred creates a unique spiritual experience in that it welcomes Christians and non-Christians alike to appreciate the artist’s religious symbolism. The elegantly simple architecture of the chapel, the use of light in the space, and the binary of colors on opposite walls have a calming, cleansing, and†¦show more content†¦This binary of color palettes represents a juxtaposition between doctrine and spirituality: the black and white embody the Christian tradition while the harmonizing colors of the windows symbolize the trinity of sun , nature, sea and sky. Looking through the windows one sees the individual, vivid colors that are characteristic of Matisse’s art. As one steps back, however, the colors become identifiable figures and coalesce to become real, tangible images. The yellow and blue accentuate each other as our sensation is the most intense when two extremes are juxtaposed. Matisse uses color brightness, balance and contrast between colors to improve visual aesthetics. This combination of the dynamic and the static really makes the space come alive. Matisse’s Chapel of the Rosary in Saint-Paul de Vence epitomizes his modern style with its simple architecture, transcendental lighting, and color contrast. No less is this a religious experience than the visits to classic cathedrals that dominate the French landscape from the shores of Mont St. Michel, to the Ile de la Cite’s Notre Dame, to the countless other examples of the French expression of faith through architecture. I must admi t to surprise at this overwhelming reaction on my part to Matisse’s talent as an architect and designer. Winding up the mountains to this remote convent, my mind questioned the