The work of Matisse marks the beginning of modern art in the 20th century . The Matisse museum of Nice enables one to discover the different aspects and follow the development of an art that brought figuration to the limits of abstraction in a mediterranean context. It bears witness of the love of Matisse for the French Riviera and his relationships wih this region.

The Contemporary Art Museum of Nice where artists in the inheritance of Marcel Duchamp or of Henri Matisse cohabitate is mainly centered on the dialogue between the american tendencies in contemporary art and the school of Nice : the “Nouveaux Réalistes” and Pop Art or between Colour Field and the Supports-Surface group.

The visit of these two museums brings about a better understanding of the passage from modern art to contemporary art.