The King's Sadness is likely Henri Matisse’s final self-portrait. In this paper cut-out, Matisse presents himself as a king, surrounded by a tambourine player and a dancer. The swirling petals evoke the sensation of sounds floating through the air, enhancing the dynamic interplay of space and movement. Many critics consider the final phase of his life to be his most innovative, a characteristic that is unmistakably present in this work. HENRI MATISSE The King's Sadness, 1952 © Musée national d'Art moderne, Paris