Matisse Capes for Priests

I stumbled upon these on Pinterest and went down a wormhole on the internet sourcing out more because they're incredible!!

There's not really much information about the creation or the ideas behind the robes themselves on the internet - I have a book called Henri Matisse: The Cutouts, but unfortunately there was no info about the robes, but some interesting stuff he'd done in/for churches - stained glass, wall hangings, general reportage etc - part of a large project for the Chapel of the Rosary, Vence.

"From the years 1948 to 1951, legendary French artist Henri Matisse worked tirelessly on plans for the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, (the Chapel of the Rosary), designing every element if the building, from the exterior to the details of decoration. A culmination of his long artistic trajectory, it was the first time that a painter had entirely designed every detail of a Chapel in such a comprehensive way, and remains a potent manifestation of Matisse’s artistic sensibility in his mature years."








Interesting bit about Matisse and Picasso's friendship and in regards to the religious work on the Tate website -

"And although Picasso once compared Matisse’s designs for the chapel to a bathroom, he was moved by the beauty of the chasuble cut-out designs. Significantly one of Picasso’s paintings - Vallauris Landscape (1951) – is portrayed amongst Matisse’s chasubles in Hélène Adant’s photograph. "


check this suave fellow out






Anyway its the actual capes themselves I'm interested in in regards to my project and making my cape/tapestry. The bold shapes, the symmetry the simplicity of form. I love the poncho shape of these and it would work well as a cape to exist within my story that the wind woman sews - but would be too difficult to make out of felt I think - would just end up being too rigid? I also want my cape to double as a tapestry as I've been looking into tapestries as storytelling devices as well as decorative crafts - so making a robe shape and cutting a head hole in the middle might not be the best shout for a tapestry.

I think these robes are a joy - the key for me to make a successful cape is to not overcomplicate the design, simple and symmetry is the key methinks.