---
title: "10 Should Quotes By Henri Matisse"
description: "10 Should quotes by Henri Matisse. Plus more from Henri Matisse and more Should sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/921/henri-matisse-1641_color_the-chief-function-of-color-should-be-to_112412.jpg"
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> [The chief function of color should be to serve expression as well as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/the-chief-function-of-color-should-be-to-serve-expression-as-well-as/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/921/henri-matisse-1641_color_the-chief-function-of-color-should-be-to_112412.jpg)

> [Whoever wishes to devote himself to painting should begin by cutting out his own tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/whoever-wishes-to-devote-himself-to-painting-should-begin-by-cutting/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/henri-matisse-1641_cutting_whoever-wishes-to-devote-himself-to-pain_1333337.jpg)

> [Art should be something like a good armchair in which to rest from physical fatigue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/art-should-be-something-like-a-good-armchair-in-which-to-rest-from/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/henri-matisse-1641_armchair_art-should-be-something-like-a-good-armc_3213850.jpg)

> [The main function of color should be to serve expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/the-main-function-of-color-should-be-to-serve-expression/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/henri-matisse-1641_color_the-main-function-of-color-should-be-to_1033969.jpg)

> [Ever since there have been men, man has given himself over to too little joy. That alone, my brothers, is our original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/ever-since-there-have-been-men-man-has-given-himself-over-to-too/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/henri-matisse-1641_believe_ever-since-there-have-been-men-man-has-g_349461.jpg)

> [An artist must never be a prisoner. Prisoner? An artist should never be a prisoner of himself, prisoner of style, prisoner of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/an-artist-must-never-be-a-prisoner-prisoner-an-artist-should-never-be/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/752/henri-matisse-1641_art_an-artist-must-never-be-a-prisoner-priso_1073325.jpg)

> [A work should contain its total meaning within itself and should impress it on the spectator before he even knows the subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/a-work-should-contain-its-total-meaning-within-itself-and-should/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/henri-matisse-1641_artist_a-work-should-contain-its-total-meaning_3178370.jpg)

> [Color was not given to us in order that we should imitate Nature. It was given to us so that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/color-was-not-given-to-us-in-order-that-we-should-imitate-nature-it/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/henri-matisse-1641_color_color-was-not-given-to-us-in-order-that_69251.jpg)

> [It is only after years of preparation that the young artist should touch color - not color used descriptively, that is, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/it-is-only-after-years-of-preparation-that-the-young-artist-should/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/henri-matisse-1641_art_it-is-only-after-years-of-preparation-th_2385664.jpg)

> [A distinction is made between artists who work directly from nature and those who work purely from imagination. Neither if these methods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/a-distinction-is-made-between-artists-who-work-directly-from-nature/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e19/henri-matisse-1641_art_a-distinction-is-made-between-artists-wh_833479.jpg)

## Other authors on Should

## More by Henri Matisse

> [The wall around the window does not create two worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/the-wall-around-the-window-does-not-create-two-worlds/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [Arrival = Prison, and the artist must never be a prisoner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/arrival-prison-and-the-artist-must-never-be-a-prisoner/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [To arrive is to be in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/to-arrive-is-to-be-in-prison/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [When I saw what a mess everything was in I asked for my money back on the ticket. I would have felt I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/when-i-saw-what-a-mess-everything-was-in-i-asked-for-my-money-back-on/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [A painting in an interior spreads joy around it by the colors, which calm us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/a-painting-in-an-interior-spreads-joy-around-it-by-the-colors-which/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [Color was not given to us in order that we should imitate Nature. It was given to us so that we can express our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/color-was-not-given-to-us-in-order-that-we-should-imitate-nature-it/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [If it is practiced by a man of taste, the photograph will have the appearance of art (but) the photographer must...intervene as little as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/if-it-is-practiced-by-a-man-of-taste-the-photograph-will-have-the/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [I have always tried to hide my efforts and wished my works to have a light joyousness of springtime which never lets anyone suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-have-always-tried-to-hide-my-efforts-and-wished-my-works-to-have-a/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [The chief function of color should be to serve expression as well as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/the-chief-function-of-color-should-be-to-serve-expression-as-well-as/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [One gets into a state of creativity by conscious work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/one-gets-into-a-state-of-creativity-by-conscious-work/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [My pictures are made up of four or five colors that collide with one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/my-pictures-are-made-up-of-four-or-five-colors-that-collide-with-one/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [What I dream of is an art of balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/what-i-dream-of-is-an-art-of-balance/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [...I am driven on by an idea that I really only grasp as it grows with the picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-am-driven-on-by-an-idea-that-i-really-only-grasp-as-it-grows-with/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [I don't paint things. I only paint the difference between things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-don-t-paint-things-i-only-paint-the-difference-between-things/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

> [After a half-century of hard work and reflection the wall is still there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/after-a-half-century-of-hard-work-and-reflection-the-wall-is-still/)

[Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/)

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