The Last Matisse – Paper Morphologies: exhibition in Rome at the Historical Infantry Museum

The Last Matisse – Paper Morphologies

From 28 February to 28 June 2026 the Museo Storico della Fanteria in Rome presents "The Last Matisse – Paper Morphologies", an exhibition focused on the final creative season of Henri Matisse with more than 100 works from private collections.

Key information

• Dates: 2026-02-28 – 2026-06-28
• Venue: Historical Infantry Museum, Rome
• Produced by: Navigare Srl
• Curator: Vittoria Mainoldi

What to see

The exhibition highlights Matisse’s late practice, when constrained mobility led him to replace brush and canvas with scissors and colored paper. The itinerary is organised into four thematic sections that trace this expressive metamorphosis.

• Verve

  Section devoted to Matisse’s ties with avant-garde publishing: color lithographs and drawings documenting his collaboration with the magazine and early experiments toward cut-outs.

• Artist books and illustrated books

  Drawings on tissue paper produced for limited editions, where continuous line work explores faces and figures in close dialogue with literary texts.

• Jazz

  The Jazz series, created during World War II, is central to the show: vibrant lithographs and plates with pure colors and flat shapes that anticipate Matisse’s full cut-out technique.

• Drawing

  Drawing is presented as an autonomous practice: from large charcoal works to the 1940s female nudes, where a few decisive lines achieve maximum gestural freedom.

Practical information

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 9:30–19:30; Sat, Sun and holidays 9:30–20:30.

For tickets and visitor information consult the organiser's official website.