First/Hand Fridays for Harvard Students—Exploring Matisse’s Modernist Art

This event does not require registration; see further details below.

Join us for First/Hand Fridays—monthly events in the Art Study Center where museum staff bring original works of art out of storage for Harvard students to discuss and enjoy!

In this session, we’ll explore the modernist art of Henri Matisse, diving into his outstanding portfolio Jazz (Teriade, 1947). This artist’s book from his final years includes his signature paper cutouts and handwritten “notes to self” about his life and work. We’ll uncover what makes Matisse unique and why the director of Musée Matisse once remarked: “Matisse is not like the others. You’ll see.”

First/Hand Fridays take place on the first Friday of each month. In these specially designed sessions for students, you’ll experience art like never before: get up close and personal with works you can’t see in the galleries, chat with our staff about objects they love, and explore the many ways you can engage with our collections—whether for a class or just for fun.

Students are free to drop by anytime between 10am and noon (keep in mind the event ends at noon). Just be sure you sign in at the Art Study Center reception desk on Level 4, and be prepared to show your HUID. Please place all coats and bags in a locker before entering the study room.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance.