Trained originally in the French classical manner, Matisse was inspired by the Impressionists and C zanne to create a style that brought out the beauty of color, form and line by reducing them to the bare essentials. While considered a leader of the Fauves and an inspiration to most of the great figures in modern art, he wasn't interested in being associated with any school or trend. A family man who worked 'office hours' in his studio, he defies the image of the artist as a tortured soul. In a career spanning six decades, he produced masterpiece after masterpiece that constantly challenge how we perceive color and form.