I was very surprised and happy to find this rare footage of Henri Matisse tucked away in the Fox Movietone archive.
Matisse is shown working on clay models in bed wearing sunglasses. The film was shot during a time when ilness meant that Matisse was increasingly confined to his bed and due to the strength of the colours used in his work he was advised to wear sunglasses whilst creating.
The model was part of a commission for the building of the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence on the French Riviera, where Matisse designed the murals, stained glass, interiors and architecture between 1949 and 1951 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapelle_du_Rosaire_de_Vence
Some of the most thrilling shots are of Matisse drawing figures and pacing out measurements within the chapel itself
