01 GUERLAIN X MAISON MATISSE THE ART OF HAPPINESS
More than a perfume, it is a masterstroke: Guerlain collaborates with Maison Matisse, which for several years has shared the audacious values of this universal artist and is inspired by his artistic heritage to celebrate the art of happiness in a numbered art edition of fourteen unique pieces. An ode to painting, music and perfume: three arts intimately linked by their languages, rhythms, and colours. It is the encounter of two myths: "La Musique", one of Henri Matisse's most emblematic paintings, signed by the artist in 1939. And the legendary Bee Bottle celebrating its 170th anniversary in 2023, decorated with an exclusive motif inspired by this uncontested masterpiece of modern painting. For the occasion, Guerlain Perfumers have composed Couleur Bonheur, a modern fruity chypre fragrance filled with olfactory colours as sunny and bright as the artist's palette.
MICHEL SIMA, MATISSE IN FRONT OF LE RIDEAU ÉGYPTIEN STILL LIFE, BRIDGEMAN, IMAGE ID : SMH1547015
02 HENRI MATISSE, A PAINTER AND COMPOSER
"Painter of Happiness", sublime master of color, Henri Matisse is one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. A violinist since childhood, a great lover of jazz who was close to the Ballets Russes and a great connoisseur of avant-garde composers, Henri Matisse never ceased to nourish his artwork with inspiration from music. Furthermore, the artist often compared his work to that of a composer. In much the same way as perfumers turn to the language of notes and chords, he too used musical terms such as "vibrato", "chord" and "orchestration".
03 "LA MUSIQUE", THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE CREATION
From philodendron leaves and the curves of a guitar, to its flat red and blue colors, the Exceptional Piece inspired by “La Musique” (1939) combines all the sense of rhythm and color found in the original painting, taking its signature motifs set against a deep blue background and applying them using form and color that reflect the refined aesthetics of Maison Matisse’s creations. In “La Musique” (1939), his love of music came together with two other sources of inspiration that were dear to the painter. Feminine beauty: that of the guitarist and the singer, both with generous curves, whose complementary poses are harmoniously balanced against a subtly orchestrated ornamental background. And nature, present thanks to the stylized philodendron leaves that punctuate the background of the composition.
Henri Matisse, La Musique, 1939, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo (USA) ©Succession H. Matisse
04 THE BEE BOTTLE SET TO MUSIC
Entirely hand-painted with the greatest care, each piece is the result of exceptional know-how. Nothing was left to chance in this high-precision exercise. Countless hours were spent selecting the six colours that corresponded as closely as possible to the palette of the painting "La Musique", then refining their mattness and depth. All the motifs are painted with a brush, with the greatest attention to detail.
05 COULEUR BONHEUR, A VIBRANT SCORE
The Guerlain Perfumers imagined Couleur Bonheur, a modern fruity chypre fragrance filled with olfactory colours as sunny and bright as the artist's palette. A precious perfume extract exclusive to this piece, like an olfactory melody flooded with light, this southern sun that makes the colours of "La Musique" vibrate in a colourful score. The first movement, an allegro vivace, features the yellow of bergamot with crystalline tones. The second movement, an allegro espressivo, offers the velvety orange of an apricot accord blended with the brightness of rose. The third movement, an allegro andante, showcases the deep purple of iris contrasted with the white of a leather accord.
"THE PAINTER CHOOSES HIS COLOUR IN THE DEPTH AND INTENSITY THAT SUITS HIM, JUST AS THE MUSICIAN CHOOSES THE TONE AND INTENSITY OF HIS INSTRUMENTS.”
HENRI MATISSE
06 MAISON MATISSE
Founded in 2019 by some members of Henri Matisse's family to celebrate and share the daring values of this universal artist, Maison Matisse offers decorative objects and furniture designed by emerging and renowned contemporary designers. Shapes, colours, compositions: each piece is inspired by the aesthetic language of an artist whose vision never ages. To maintain this artistic heritage and create timeless pieces, Maison Matisse works with designers and craftsmen with exceptional know-how.
